Cost of Living: Charlotte, NC vs Sterling Heights, MI

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Charlotte, NC versus $4,268/mo in Sterling Heights, MI. In the model, rent is about 21.91% of gross in Charlotte, NC versus 18.46% in Sterling Heights, MI, so Sterling Heights, MI tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Charlotte, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Sterling Heights, MI
$4,268/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Charlotte, NC
21.91%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Sterling Heights, MI
18.46%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Charlotte, NC and Sterling Heights, MI.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Charlotte, NC
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Sterling Heights, MI
  • Lower home prices: Sterling Heights, MI
  • Higher median household income: Charlotte, NC

Cost of Living Index

Charlotte, NC: 95.6 (U.S. = 100) · Sterling Heights, MI: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Charlotte, NC has a lower cost-of-living index than Sterling Heights, MI, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Charlotte, NC: $1,429/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Sterling Heights, MI: $1,204/mo

Median rent in Charlotte, NC is $225/mo higher than in Sterling Heights, MI.

Median Home Price

Charlotte, NC: $351,500 · Sterling Heights, MI: $260,700

Median home price in Charlotte, NC is $90,800 higher than in Sterling Heights, MI.

Median Household Income

Charlotte, NC: $78,438 · Sterling Heights, MI: $78,429

Charlotte, NC has a higher median household income than Sterling Heights, MI by $9.

Charlotte, NC overview · Sterling Heights, MI overview · Popular comparisons