United States › Texas › Sterling County COUNTY
Sterling County Texas · 1,349 residents (2025 est.) · 923 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
With 1,468 people, Sterling County is a county in Texas. This skews young, with a median age of 32.1. Density works out to 2 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $147,000, having roughly tripled since 2000. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,393 in 2000
1,349 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 1 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 1K 1K 1K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,954
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,129 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,972 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.459 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 27.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Education & health services 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$147,000
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$952
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $392 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.6% in 2000
22.3% rent
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
3.59 people
+46%since 2009
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.5 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.
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 68.6%(955)
Hispanic / Latino 31%(432)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 62.8%(922)
Hispanic / Latino 35.7%(524)
from 55 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 0.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 24.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 96.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 74.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 25.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 9.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 51.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 22.7% 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) 33.3%(6)
Share of the 18 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 County Head to head
Compare Sterling County to nearby counties STERLING COUNTY VS
Coke County
Income $43,333 −33%
Home value $117,900 −20%
Population 3,412 +153%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING COUNTY VS
Glasscock County
Income $101,250 +56%
Home value $245,200 +67%
Population 1,128 −16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income $60,550 −7%
Home value $85,800 −42%
Population 8,947 +563%
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STERLING COUNTY VS
Irion County
Income $70,357 +8%
Home value $204,400 +39%
Population 1,463 +8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling County, Texas? Sterling County, Texas has about 1,468 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling County, Texas? The typical household in Sterling County, Texas earns about $64,954 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sterling County, Texas expensive? In Sterling County, Texas, the median home is worth about $147,000, and the typical rent is about $952 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling County, Texas? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sterling County, Texas? About 4.3% of people in Sterling County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sterling County, Texas grown since 1990? Yes, Sterling County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 30 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
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