State
County
Land Area (mi²)
36.4 sq mi
Density (mi²)
3,619.20/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-0.22%
Growth Since 2010
1.67%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Sterling Heights is a city located in Macomb County Michigan. With a 2020 population of 131,864, it is the 4th largest city in Michigan (after Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Warren) and the 211th largest city in the United States . Sterling Heights is currently declining at a rate of -0.22% annually but its population has increased by 1.67% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 129,699 in 2010. Sterling Heights reached it's highest population of 132,725 in 2018. Spanning over 37 miles, Sterling Heights has a population density of 3,619 people per square mile.
The average household income in Sterling Heights is $79,647 with a poverty rate of 11.02%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $1,025 per month, and the median house value is $187,600. The median age in Sterling Heights is 40.6 years, 38.4 years for males, and 42.5 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Sterling Heights was:
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 110,326 | 83.28% |
| Asian | 10,181 | 7.69% |
| Black or African American | 7,855 | 5.93% |
| Two or More Races | 2,849 | 2.15% |
| Some Other Race | 888 | 0.67% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 377 | 0.28% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 50,082 | 2.63 | 73 |
| Married | 26,771 | 3.32 | 82.6 |
| Non Family | 15,473 | 1.19 | 58 |
| Female | 5,194 | 3.07 | 66.3 |
| Male | 2,644 | 3.21 | 75.3 |
3.22
Average Family Size
2.63
Average Household Size
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 6,675 | 7.10% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 6,198 | 6.59% |
| High School Graduate | 26,494 | 28.19% |
| Some College | 18,874 | 20.08% |
| Associates Degree | 9,020 | 9.60% |
| Bachelors Degree | 17,529 | 18.65% |
| Graduate Degree | 9,204 | 9.79% |
| Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79,012 | 67,950 | 20,526 |
| Asian | 6,911 | 6,094 | 4,003 |
| Black | 5,081 | 4,671 | 1,426 |
| Hispanic | 1,644 | 1,373 | 386 |
| 2+ Races | 1,095 | 838 | 357 |
| Other Race | 421 | 357 | 128 |
| Native American | 270 | 160 | 28 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 91.93%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 57.92%.
$40,341
Average Earnings
$50,199
Average Male
$31,370
Average Female
66.96% of Sterling Heights residents speak only English, while 33.04% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 18.33% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 107,478 | 12,002 | 11.17% |
| Black | 7,776 | 949 | 12.20% |
| Asian | 10,175 | 942 | 9.26% |
| Hispanic | 2,975 | 298 | 10.02% |
| Native | 377 | 205 | 54.38% |
| Multiple | 2,840 | 173 | 6.09% |
| Other | 884 | 28 | 3.17% |
11.02%
Overall Poverty Rate
10.05%
Male Poverty Rate
11.95%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Sterling Heights is Native, with 54.38% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Sterling Heights is Other, with 3.17% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.66%. Among those working part-time, it was 11.91%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 15.87%.
53.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
54.3%
Male Marriage Rate
51.7%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,247 | 6.98% |
| Black | 251 | 4.21% |
| Hispanic | 107 | 5.03% |
| Asian | 101 | 1.30% |
| Other Race | 46 | 7.54% |
| 2+ Races | 41 | 2.72% |
| Native American | 11 | 3.07% |
4.92%
Veteran Poverty Rate
31.48%
Veteran Disability Rate
62.1%
Labor Force Participation
59.6%
Employment Rate
4.1%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
72.91%
Native Born
27.09%
Foreign Born
9.11%
Non Citizen
17.98%
Naturalized
72.91% of Sterling Heights residents were born in the United States, with 64.55% having been born in Michigan. 9.11% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 131,864 | -287 | -0.22% |
| 2020 | 132,151 | -287 | -0.22% |
| 2019 | 132,438 | -287 | -0.22% |
| 2018 | 132,725 | 44 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 132,681 | 159 | 0.12% |
| 2016 | 132,522 | 481 | 0.36% |
| 2015 | 132,041 | -95 | -0.07% |
| 2014 | 132,136 | 615 | 0.47% |
| 2013 | 131,521 | 849 | 0.65% |
| 2012 | 130,672 | 630 | 0.48% |
| 2011 | 130,042 | 333 | 0.26% |
| 2010 | 129,709 | 5,238 | 0.41% |
| 2000 | 124,471 | 6,661 | 0.55% |
| 1990 | 117,810 | 8,811 | 0.78% |
| 1980 | 108,999 | 47,634 | 5.91% |
| 1970 | 61,365 | 56,365 | 28.50% |
| 1960 | 5,000 | 4,600 | 13.46% |
| 1940 | 400 | 0.00% |