Share

Bay City, MI vs Sterling Heights, MI Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Bay City crime rate · Sterling Heights crime rate

Moving from Bay City, MI to Sterling Heights, MI?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Is Bay City, MI or Sterling Heights, MI Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Sterling Heights, MI is safer than Bay City, MI (Safety Score 64/100 vs 30/100), with a total crime rate of 1,273 per 100,000 versus 2,432 for Bay City, MI — 48% lower. Bay City has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Sterling Heights has a 88% lower rate.

Note: Sterling Heights is 4.2x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Bay City, MI?

Bay City — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Sterling Heights — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Bay City, MI

Bay City, MI
Safety Score 30/100
Coverage 31,908
Total Crime Rate 2,432.0
Category Wins 0/7

Sterling Heights, MI

Sterling Heights, MI
Safety Score 64/100
Coverage 133,058
Total Crime Rate 1,273.1
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Bay City Sterling Heights Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,432.0 1,273.1 +1,158.9
Violent Crime Rate 564.1 230.7 +333.4
Murder Rate 6.3 0.8 +5.5
Rape Rate 106.6 30.8 +75.8
Robbery Rate 34.5 15.0 +19.4
Aggravated Assault Rate 416.8 182.6 +234.2
Property Crime Rate 1,867.9 1,042.4 +825.5
Burglary Rate 247.6 76.7 +170.9
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,388.4 789.1 +599.2
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 231.9 176.6 +55.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Bay City, MI to Sterling Heights, MI?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bay City or Sterling Heights safer?

Sterling Heights, MI is safer with a total crime rate of 1,273 per 100K vs 2,432 for Bay City, MI — a 48% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Bay City has a violent crime rate of 564.1 per 100K while Sterling Heights has 230.7. Sterling Heights has lower violent crime.

About Bay City, MI

Bay City, Michigan, a port city on the Saginaw River near Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, was once a major lumbering center. Its population is approximately 32,000, with a median age of around 40. With a safety score of 30/100 and a population coverage of 31,908, Bay City has a total crime rate of 2,432.0 per 100,000 residents.

About Sterling Heights, MI

Sterling Heights, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, is the second-largest city in Macomb County. Once a farming community known for its rhubarb, it now boasts a diverse population exceeding 130,000 residents. With a safety score of 64/100 and a population coverage of 133,058, Sterling Heights has a total crime rate of 1,273.1 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons