Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 124,471. In 2005, the Morgan Quinto Press named Sterling Heights as the safest city in Michigan and the 29th safest in the United States.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 95.0 km2 (36.7 mi2). 94.9 km2 (36.6 mi2) of it is land and 0.1 km2 (0.1 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.14% water.
City motto: To Strive on Behalf of All.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 124,471 people, 46,319 households, and 33,395 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,311.6/km2 (3,397.0/mi2). There are 47,547 housing units at an average density of 501.0/km2 (1,297.6/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 90.70% White, 1.30% African American, 0.21% Native American, 4.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 2.50% from two or more races. 1.34% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There is a large Chaldean community situated in an area bounded by 15 and 17 Mile Roads, between Dequindre and Mound Roads, however the area also includes a large number of non-Chaldean ethnic Arabs.
Sterling Heights is an example of America's "mixing pot." One local elementary school, Hatherly Elementary, claims that 27 different native languages are spoken at home by the student population. Local storefronts sometimes have signage both in Arabic script as well as English, which is the predominant language on the streets. In addition to the white, western-European descended majority are residents from literally all corners of the globe.
There are 46,319 households out of which 32.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% are married couples living together, 8.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% are non-families. 24.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.66 and the average family size is 3.21.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $60,494, and the median income for a family is $70,140. Males have a median income of $51,207 versus $31,489 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,958. 5.2% of the population and 4.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The city is home to a mix of commercial and residential properties with a one-mile wide industrial corridor bisecting the city on its north-south axis. Major industrial firms with a presence in Sterling Heights include DaimlerChrysler, Visteon, General Dynamics, publishing plants for the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, and many smaller auto suppliers. Chrysler's Sterling Heights Stamping Plant is the largest metal stamping plant in the world.
The city's main commercial hub is clustered on the M-53 corrdior and the M-59 corridor and is most concentrated near where the two state highways meet.
The city is also home to Lakeside Mall, which features 180 stores. It is the largest mall in Metro Detroit in terms of square footage.
Sterling Heights was incorporated as a city in 1968. Prior to that it was known as Sterling Township. There was already a small village named Sterling in Arenac County, so the word "Heights" was added to the township name to satisfy state law that prevents incorporated municipalities from having the same name. "Sterling Oaks" was another name under consideration for the new city.
Rapper Eminem briefly lived in the city in 2000.
Source:
SterlingHeightsMichigan.com
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