United States › Alaska › Sterling CITY · 2010 ACS
Sterling Alaska · 5,617 residents · 77.8 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Sterling is home to 5,617 people in Alaska. At a median age of 44.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 83% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. The poverty rate is 5.8%, under the national 13.8%. Growth has run 19% since 2000, or 912 more people.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 44.1
US median: 37.2
Average education
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 5K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $64,545
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,700 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $20,741 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 10.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 4.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Education & health services 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Public administration 0.4%
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$221,600
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $119,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$775
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $628 in 2000
US average: $853
from 84.7% in 2000
17.3% rent
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.41 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.73 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 17.7% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 3.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.9%(4,323)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(57)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 88.2%(4,952)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(150)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 89.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 72.9% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 5.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 7.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 21.3%(155)
Share of the 728 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling, Alaska? Sterling, Alaska has about 5,617 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling, Alaska? The typical household in Sterling, Alaska earns about $64,545 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sterling, Alaska expensive? In Sterling, Alaska, the median home is worth about $221,600, and the typical rent is about $775 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling, Alaska? About 24.2% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling, Alaska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sterling, Alaska? About 5.8% of people in Sterling, Alaska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sterling, Alaska grown since 1990? Yes, Sterling, Alaska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,815 residents, a change of about 48 percent over that period.
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