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Sault Ste. Marie vs Sterling Heights Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Sault Ste. Marie crime rate · Sterling Heights crime rate

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Is Sault Ste. Marie or Sterling Heights Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Sterling Heights is safer than Sault Ste. Marie (Safety Score 64/100 vs 56/100), with a total crime rate of 1,273 per 100,000 versus 1,510 for Sault Ste. Marie — 16% lower. Sault Ste. Marie has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Sault Ste. Marie has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Sterling Heights is 10.0x 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI?

Sault Ste. Marie — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Sterling Heights — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Safety Score 56/100
Coverage 13,310
Total Crime Rate 1,510.1
Category Wins 4/7

Sterling Heights, MI

Sterling Heights, MI
Safety Score 64/100
Coverage 133,058
Total Crime Rate 1,273.1
Category Wins 3/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Sault Ste. Marie Sterling Heights Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,510.1 1,273.1 +237.0
Violent Crime Rate 405.7 230.7 +175.0
Murder Rate 0.0 0.8 -0.8
Rape Rate 150.3 30.8 +119.5
Robbery Rate 7.5 15.0 -7.5
Aggravated Assault Rate 247.9 182.6 +65.3
Property Crime Rate 1,104.4 1,042.4 +62.0
Burglary Rate 67.6 76.7 -9.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 991.7 789.1 +202.6
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 45.1 176.6 -131.5

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

Moving from Sault Ste. Marie, 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sault Ste. Marie or Sterling Heights safer?

Sterling Heights is safer with a total crime rate of 1,273 per 100K vs 1,510 for Sault Ste. Marie — a 16% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Sault Ste. Marie has a violent crime rate of 405.7 per 100K while Sterling Heights has 230.7. Sterling Heights has lower violent crime.

About Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the oldest city in Michigan, sits on the St. Marys River across from its Canadian twin. Home to the Soo Locks, a major shipping thoroughfare, its population is around 13,000. With a safety score of 56/100 and a population coverage of 13,310, Sault Ste. Marie has a total crime rate of 1,510.1 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.

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