Lake Charles LA 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)

Lake Charles, LA

Louisiana · Population: 81,679

  • Median HH Income$56,864
  • Median Home Price$204,081
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+29.4%

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
Lake Charles
81,679
Sterling Heights
133,473
Sterling Heights +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Lake Charles
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A
Median Age
Lake Charles
36.2
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
41.5
Foreign Born
Lake Charles
4.7%
Sterling Heights
27.4%
Sterling Heights +
White
Lake Charles
47.3%
Sterling Heights
78.9%
Sterling Heights +
Black
Lake Charles
42.8%
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
6.6%
Asian
Lake Charles
2.6%
Sterling Heights
9.0%
Sterling Heights +
Hispanic
Lake Charles
4.7%
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
2.4%
Spanish at Home
Lake Charles
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Lake Charles
$56,864
Sterling Heights
$78,429
Sterling Heights +
Per Capita Income
Lake Charles
$35,847
Sterling Heights
$37,315
Sterling Heights +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Lake Charles
$55,297
Sterling Heights
$58,052
Sterling Heights +
Unemployment Rate
Lake Charles
5.5%
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
6.2%
Poverty Rate
Lake Charles
23.2%
Sterling Heights
10.6%
Sterling Heights +
Bachelor's Degree+
Lake Charles
29.4%
Sterling Heights
31.2%
Sterling Heights +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Lake Charles
$204,081
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
$309,742
Homeownership Rate
Lake Charles
61.1%
Sterling Heights
76.4%
Sterling Heights +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Lake Charles
643
Sterling Heights
471
Sterling Heights +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Lake Charles
2824
Sterling Heights
1590
Sterling Heights +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Lake Charles
45.6%
Sterling Heights
36.0%
Sterling Heights +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Lake Charles
16.2%
Sterling Heights
11.5%
Sterling Heights +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Lake Charles
19.7%
Sterling Heights
17.2%
Sterling Heights +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Lake Charles
9.6%
Sterling Heights
6.7%
Sterling Heights +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Lake Charles
15.6%
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
16.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Lake Charles
18.0%
Sterling Heights
15.3%
Sterling Heights +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Lake Charles
N/A
Sterling Heights
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Lake Charles
62.4 in
Sterling Heights
N/A

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Lake Charles
19.0 min
Lake Charles +
Sterling Heights
27.5 min

Which City is Right for You?

Sterling Heights leads in median household income at $78,429, while lake Charles offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $204,081. On public safety, Sterling Heights is safer with a violent crime rate of 471 per 100,000 residents, compared to 643 in Lake Charles. Lake Charles has a lower unemployment rate at 5.5%, and Lake Charles has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Sterling Heights scores better with a lower obesity rate of 36.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Lake Charles & Sterling Heights