Sterling Heights receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sterling Heights
Southfield
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 38%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs21 · Bottom 13%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Sterling Heights | Southfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 133,573 | 76,236 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,909 | $68,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,084 | $41,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,665/sq mi | 2,903/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $274,300 | $236,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,292 | $1,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 40.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 728 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 89.6% | 645.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.0" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 35 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.64 | 16.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.2% | 16.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.7% | 31.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.7% | 67.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sterling Heights
68
Your Score
66
Area Score
Southfield
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sterling Heights, MI · Southfield, MI · How this is calculated: methodology