Brooklyn Park MN vs Sterling Heights MI — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Brooklyn Park, MN

Minnesota · Population: 84,349

  • Median HH Income$85,964
  • Median Home Price$351,849
  • Unemployment3.7%
  • Bachelor's+31.7%

Sterling Heights, MI

Michigan · Population: 133,473

  • Median HH Income$78,429
  • Median Home Price$309,742
  • Unemployment6.2%
  • Bachelor's+31.2%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Brooklyn Park
84,349
Sterling Heights
133,473
Sterling Heights +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A
Median Age
Brooklyn Park
35.4
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
41.5
Foreign Born
Brooklyn Park
25.9%
Sterling Heights
27.4%
Sterling Heights +
White
Brooklyn Park
37.5%
Sterling Heights
78.9%
Sterling Heights +
Black
Brooklyn Park
30.2%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
6.6%
Asian
Brooklyn Park
20.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
9.0%
Hispanic
Brooklyn Park
6.4%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
2.4%
Spanish at Home
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Brooklyn Park
$85,964
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
$78,429
Per Capita Income
Brooklyn Park
$37,872
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
$37,315
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Brooklyn Park
$69,467
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
$58,052
Unemployment Rate
Brooklyn Park
3.7%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
6.2%
Poverty Rate
Brooklyn Park
10.3%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
10.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Brooklyn Park
31.7%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
31.2%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Brooklyn Park
$351,849
Sterling Heights
$309,742
Sterling Heights +
Homeownership Rate
Brooklyn Park
69.8%
Sterling Heights
76.4%
Sterling Heights +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Brooklyn Park
284
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
471
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Brooklyn Park
1992
Sterling Heights
1590
Sterling Heights +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Brooklyn Park
29.2%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
36.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Brooklyn Park
9.7%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
11.5%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Brooklyn Park
16.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
17.2%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Brooklyn Park
10.0%
Sterling Heights
6.7%
Sterling Heights +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Brooklyn Park
16.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
16.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Brooklyn Park
14.1%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
15.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Brooklyn Park
8.1 µg/m³
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
10.7 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Brooklyn Park
75.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Brooklyn Park
24.1 min
Brooklyn Park +
Sterling Heights
27.5 min

Which City is Right for You?

Brooklyn Park leads in median household income at $85,964, while sterling Heights offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $309,742. On public safety, Brooklyn Park is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 471 in Sterling Heights. Brooklyn Park has a lower unemployment rate at 3.7%, and Brooklyn Park has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Brooklyn Park scores better with a lower obesity rate of 29.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Brooklyn Park & Sterling Heights