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South Lyon vs Sterling Heights Crime Comparison

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

Full report: South Lyon crime rate · Sterling Heights crime rate

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Is South Lyon or Sterling Heights Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, South Lyon is safer than Sterling Heights (Safety Score 97/100 vs 64/100), with a total crime rate of 350 per 100,000 versus 1,273 for Sterling Heights — 73% lower. South Lyon has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where South Lyon has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Sterling Heights is 11.1x 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 SAFER than South Lyon, MI?

South Lyon — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Sterling Heights — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

South Lyon, MI

South Lyon, MI
Safety Score 97/100
Coverage 12,010
Total Crime Rate 349.7
Category Wins 7/7

Sterling Heights, MI

Sterling Heights, MI
Safety Score 64/100
Coverage 133,058
Total Crime Rate 1,273.1
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type South Lyon Sterling Heights Difference
Total Crime Rate 349.7 1,273.1 -923.4
Violent Crime Rate 58.3 230.7 -172.5
Murder Rate 0.0 0.8 -0.8
Rape Rate 33.3 30.8 +2.5
Robbery Rate 0.0 15.0 -15.0
Aggravated Assault Rate 25.0 182.6 -157.7
Property Crime Rate 291.4 1,042.4 -751.0
Burglary Rate 25.0 76.7 -51.7
Larceny-Theft Rate 208.2 789.1 -581.0
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 58.3 176.6 -118.3

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

Moving from South Lyon, 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 South Lyon or Sterling Heights safer?

South Lyon is safer with a total crime rate of 350 per 100K vs 1,273 for Sterling Heights — a 73% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

South Lyon has a violent crime rate of 58.3 per 100K while Sterling Heights has 230.7. South Lyon has lower violent crime.

About South Lyon, MI

South Lyon, once a stop on the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad, is a small city in southwestern Oakland County. Its downtown features a historic clock tower, a testament to its tight-knit community of around 12,000 residents. With a safety score of 97/100 and a population coverage of 12,010, South Lyon has a total crime rate of 349.7 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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