United States › Colorado › Sterling CITY · 2020 ACS
Sterling Colorado · 13,735 residents · 7.62 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 13,735 people, Sterling is a city in Colorado. That trails the Colorado median by roughly 46%. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. The average commute runs 15 minutes. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $141,100. People stay put here: 76% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 11K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,956
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,337 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,287 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 6.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.4%
Public administration 2.2%
Education & health services 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.8%
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$141,100
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$814
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $452 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 63.5% in 2000
43.7% rent
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.3%(9,463)
Hispanic / Latino 14.2%(1,613)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 69%(9,471)
Hispanic / Latino 20.9%(2,866)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 81.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 74.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 64.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 31.8%(458)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.7%(327)
Share of the 1,439 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 +57%
Home value $313,400 +122%
Population 11,841 −9%
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STERLING VS
Evans
Income $75,563 +84%
Home value $351,000 +149%
Population 22,500 +72%
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STERLING VS
Greeley
Income $69,881 +71%
Home value $402,500 +185%
Population 115,073 +782%
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STERLING VS
Gering
Income $75,093 +83%
Home value $186,500 +32%
Population 8,535 −35%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling, Colorado? Sterling, Colorado has about 13,735 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling, Colorado? The typical household in Sterling, Colorado earns about $40,956 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 $141,100, and the typical rent is about $814 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling, Colorado? About 18.8% 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 12.4% 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 3,369 residents, a change of about 33 percent over that period.
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