Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Sterling Heights, MI

Population: 133,744 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
75/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$12,550
Total Revenue
$2.4B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
28.5%$478.2M
Utilities
22.0%$368.5M
Housing & Community Development
21.9%$367.4M
Fire Protection
13.0%$218.6M
Public Welfare
6.1%$101.8M
Health
5.2%$87.8M
Highways & Roads
1.5%$24.7M
Sewerage
1.3%$21.2M
Hospitals
0.5%$8.9M
Parks & Recreation
0.1%$1.4M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.4B
Charges & Fees
9.6%$226.9M
Other
20.9%$492.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$1,634/person
Highways & Roads$185/person
Parks & Recreation$11/person
Health$656/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)79/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Sterling Heights stacks up against another city.

vs Detroit, MIvs Grand Rapids, MIvs Warren, MI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Michigan

Detroit, MI

Pop. 637K

B
Total Spending
$19.8B
Per Capita
$31,087

Grand Rapids, MI

Pop. 198K

D
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$22,146

Warren, MI

Pop. 139K

C
Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$15,235

Ann Arbor, MI

Pop. 122K

D
Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$22,006

Compare Sterling Heights With

Detroit, MI

Spending: $31,087/person · Grade: B

Grand Rapids, MI

Spending: $22,146/person · Grade: D

Warren, MI

Spending: $15,235/person · Grade: C

Ann Arbor, MI

Spending: $22,006/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling Heights, MI spends $12,550 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.7B for a population of 133,744. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (75/100).

Sterling Heights, MI has total expenditures of $1.7B and total revenue of $2.4B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Sterling Heights, MI employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Sterling Heights, MI has a Fiscal Health Score of B (75/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: