Sterling Heights named No. 14 in safe, affordable city list

STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights officials recently spent some time praising a study that ranked their city as a haven for residents and their money.

In June, Sterling Heights was ranked No. 14 among the “50 Safest and Most Affordable US Cities To Live In,” according to the personal finance website GOBankingRates.

Cities were judged based on their median household income, household average mortgage cost, total monthly cost of living, and reported violent and property crimes.

“GOBankingRates conducted a study based on the costs of living and crime rate averages,” the website said. “They were then ranked from lowest to highest based on these average crime rates and costs and the ratings were factored by crimes per 1,000 people, then compared to the national average.”

The website measured Sterling Heights’ median household income at $75,381, the average monthly mortgage cost at $1,810, and the monthly cost of living at $3,756. Using FBI data from 2022, the study measured Sterling Heights’ property crimes at 1,547 and violent crimes at 272.

As a result, Sterling Heights outranked cities such as Laredo, Texas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Provo, Utah; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Madison, Wisconsin.

The top three cities ranked overall were Elgin, Illinois; Cary, North Carolina; and Gilbert, Arizona. Other Michigan cities mentioned in the study were 20th-place Dearborn, 32nd-place Ann Arbor and 37th-place Warren.

In an emailed statement, GOBankingRates Data Content Researcher CJ Williamson attributed Sterling Heights’ ranking to multiple factors.

“Sterling Heights ranked highly due to the fact that it had one of the lowest property and violent crime rates in the country — and the lowest of any of the six Michigan cities that made our top 100 rankings,” Williamson said.

“In 2022, the city had 272 total violent crimes and 1,547 property crimes. In comparison, the second highest ranked Michigan city, Dearborn, had more than 300 violent crimes and more than 2,000 property crimes in that same year.”

Williamson also said that, among top-ranked cities, Sterling Heights has one of the nation’s lowest monthly average costs of living.

“Just three cities in the overall top 15 had a lower monthly cost of living than Sterling Heights,” Williamson said.

During the June 18 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Vanderpool celebrated the fact that Sterling Heights had the best ranking among Michigan cities and a placement in the top 15.

“So when you look at the list of communities here, we’re in very good company,” Vanderpool said. “When you look at places like Virginia Beach, Virginia, when you look at Huntsville, Alabama, and some of the others here – Olathe, Kansas – you know, these are premier communities that enjoy great reputations like the city of Sterling Heights. So it’s really good to be in this company.”

Vanderpool credited Sterling Heights’ success to, among other things, the city’s tax rate, property taxes per capita, and the Police Department’s staffing, patrols and community outreach efforts.

Learn more about the study by visiting www.GOBankingRates.com, clicking the “Search” button and then typing “50 Safest and Most Affordable US Cities To Live In.” Find out more about Sterling Heights by visiting sterlingheights.gov or by calling (586) 446-2489.