Port Huron vs Sterling Heights
Port Huron, Michigan versus Sterling Heights, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Port Huron and Sterling Heights score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Port Huron | Sterling Heights |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $46k |
| Home Value | $122k | $243k |
| Monthly Rent | $962 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.55% | 1.42% |
| Income Tax | 5.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.21% | 10.85% |
| Unemployment | 9.3% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.5 in | 34.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.5 in | 32.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 32.3 | 44.1 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.5 | 44.5 |
| Violent Crime | 3630/100k | 1353/100k |
| Property Crime | 1998/100k | 1187/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 28,881 | 133,744 |
| Median Age | 39.0 | 41.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | Even |
| White (%) | 77.6% | 79.9% |
| Black (%) | 7.9% | 5.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.3% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.6% | 8.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.6% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 8.7/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 71 mi | 30 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.5% | 92.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 92.79 | 25.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Port Huron or Sterling Heights more affordable?
- Port Huron has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Port Huron's $45k and Sterling Heights's $46k. Median rent is $962 in Port Huron versus $1k in Sterling Heights.
- Is Port Huron or Sterling Heights safer?
- Sterling Heights has the lower violent crime rate. Port Huron reports 3630/100k and Sterling Heights reports 1353/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Port Huron or Sterling Heights?
- The median home value is $122k in Port Huron and $243k in Sterling Heights, so homes are more affordable in Port Huron.