The Town FilesSterling Heights, Michigan
City in Macomb County · population 134,346 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,300
- Household income
- $79,909
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 41.7
Sterling Heights is a city of 134,346 people in Macomb County, Michigan. The median home is worth $274,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 94% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 91% of Michigan towns.
How Sterling Heights ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling Heights is worth $274,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $79,909, which is more affordable than 22% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,292 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling Heights | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,300 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,292 | $955 |
| Median household income | $79,909 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Sterling Heights
| People | Sterling Heights | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.0% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 88.8% |
Weather in Sterling Heights
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.9°F. About 35.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling Heights since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 4, 1957 about 6.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on April 6, 2010.
Severe weather in Macomb County since 1996
Macomb County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 15, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 25, 2014 | Flood | DR-4195: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Macomb County
Macomb County had 336,295 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,046 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sterling Heights itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Sterling Heights
36 public schools with 18,547 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adlai Stevenson High School | 9-12 | 1,951 | 18.6 |
| Henry Ford II High School | 9-12 | 1,627 | 19.6 |
| Sterling Heights Senior HS | 9-12 | 1,327 | 20.1 |
| Bemis Junior High School | 7-8 | 787 | 21.9 |
| Davis Junior High School | 7-9 | 736 | 20.4 |
| Grissom Middle School | 6-8 | 692 | 19.8 |
| Frank Jeannette Jr High School | 7-9 | 638 | 19.3 |
| Schuchard Elementary School | PK-6 | 624 | 18.4 |
| Carleton Middle School | 6-8 | 619 | 17.2 |
| Havel Elementary School | PK-6 | 557 | 16.9 |
| Schwarzkoff Elementary School | PK-6 | 554 | 16.3 |
| Dekeyser Elementary School | PK-6 | 550 | 20.4 |
Towns near Sterling Heights
- Utica, MI3.3 mi · 5,245 people · home $231,100
- Fraser, MI5.2 mi · 14,726 people · home $215,900
- Clinton, MI5.8 mi · 100,513 people · home $225,000
- Troy, MI5.9 mi · 87,294 people · home $420,300
- Warren, MI6.1 mi · 139,387 people · home $193,400
- Madison Heights, MI6.3 mi · 28,468 people · home $199,100
- Shelby, MI6.4 mi · 79,408 people · home $354,500
- Clawson, MI6.8 mi · 11,389 people · home $267,100
Sterling Heights questions
Is Sterling Heights, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling Heights scores better for retirees than 15% of Michigan towns and quieter than 3%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Sterling Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling Heights is valued at $274,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,909, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,292 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling Heights?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.0 inches of precipitation a year and 32.8 inches of snow.
Does Sterling Heights get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 4, 1957. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)