City comparison
Southfield, MI is about 10 miles (20 km) from Sterling Heights, MI in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 17 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Southfield, MI to Sterling Heights, MI takes about 2 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Sterling Heights has a population of 133,744, vs 76,107 in Southfield — about 1.8× larger by population. By land area, Sterling Heights covers about 36 sq mi vs 26 sq mi for Southfield.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Southfield | Sterling Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,249/mo | $1,215/mo | 2.8% higher in Southfield |
| Median home value | $212,800 | $243,400 | 14.4% higher in Sterling Heights |
| Median household income | $63,980 | $75,381 | 17.8% higher in Sterling Heights |
| Groceries index | 98.6 | 98.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 105.6 | 105.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 102.1 | 102.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 102.3 | 102.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Southfield, you'd need $99,899 in Sterling Heights to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Southfield and Sterling Heights have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Southfield, you'd need about $79,919 in Sterling Heights to keep the same standard of living.