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
Woodhaven
Sterling Heights
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 34%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs62 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Woodhaven | Sterling Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,690 | 133,573 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,648 | $79,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,017 | $38,084 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,987/sq mi | 3,665/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $231,800 | $274,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,096 | $1,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 728 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.7% | 89.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.3" | 35.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.6 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
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Woodhaven
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Sterling Heights
68
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Woodhaven, MI · Sterling Heights, MI · How this is calculated: methodology