Detroit, MI vs Sterling Heights, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Sterling Heights, MI by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $12,550, a 148% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Sterling Heights, MI edges Detroit, MI on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 75/100 (grade B) to 69/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Sterling Heights, MI reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Detroit, MI carries $776 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Detroit, MI at $2,429 per resident and in Sterling Heights, MI at $1,634.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Sterling Heights, MI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Detroit spends 147.7% more per capita than Sterling Heights ($18,538/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)
| Property Tax | $44 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $200 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $17,646 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $1,696 |
| Other | $6,892 | $3,682 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $1,634 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $185 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $761 |
| Health | $396 | $656 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $66 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $11 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $2,747 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $159 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $2,756 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $3,575 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.