United States › Colorado › Sterling CITY
Sterling Colorado · 13,054 residents (2025 est.) · 7.62 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 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
The short version
Sterling is home to 13,172 people in Colorado. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. That trails the Colorado median by roughly 55%. Getting to work takes 15 minutes on average. Median household income is $43,283, under the $82,259 national median. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $217,400.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 57%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,360 in 2000
13,054 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,729 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 1,676 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 11K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $43,283
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,337 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,287 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.424 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Public administration 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$217,400
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,031
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $452 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.5% in 2000
44.1% rent
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.3%(9,463)
Hispanic / Latino 14.2%(1,613)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 70.2%(9,252)
Hispanic / Latino 21.2%(2,793)
from 54 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 76.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 45.4%(2,908)
Women 15+
Never married 27.6%(1,360)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 45.6% 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) 21.2%(162)
Gulf War (1990s) 11.8%(90)
Share of the 764 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
Places similar to Sterling Head to head
Compare Sterling to nearby cities STERLING VS
Fort Morgan
Income $64,158 +48%
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Population 11,841 −9%
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STERLING VS
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STERLING VS
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STERLING VS
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Income $75,093 +73%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling, Colorado? Sterling, Colorado has about 13,172 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling, Colorado? The typical household in Sterling, Colorado earns about $43,283 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sterling, Colorado expensive? In Sterling, Colorado, the median home is worth about $217,400, and the typical rent is about $1,031 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling, Colorado? About 15.7% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sterling, Colorado? About 19.0% of people in Sterling, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sterling, Colorado grown since 1990? Yes, Sterling, Colorado has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,806 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.
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