Ann Arbor, MI vs Sterling Heights, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Ann Arbor, MI outspends Sterling Heights, MI by a wide margin per resident — $22,006 versus $12,550, a 75% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Sterling Heights, MI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 46/100 (grade D) for Ann Arbor, MI — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Sterling Heights, MI reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Ann Arbor, MI carries $2,923 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Ann Arbor, MI leads with parks and recreation at $1,799 per resident, while Sterling Heights, MI leads with fire protection at $1,634.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Ann Arbor, MI at 17% of total revenue, whereas Sterling Heights, MI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Ann Arbor spends 75.3% more per capita than Sterling Heights ($9,456/person difference). Sterling Heights, MI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $452 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $378 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,670 | $17,646 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,961 | $1,696 |
| Other | $4,076 | $3,682 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,572 | $1,634 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $185 |
| Public Welfare | $1,621 | $761 |
| Health | $0 | $656 |
| Hospitals | $2,532 | $66 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,799 | $11 |
| Housing | $2,662 | $2,747 |
| Sewerage | $511 | $159 |
| Utilities | $2,610 | $2,756 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,056 | $0 |
| Other | $7,644 | $3,575 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.