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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Sterling Micro

Sterling, CO · 1 counties · 20,504 residents · 1,839 sq mi
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The short version

Sterling is a metro area of 20,504 people. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have more than doubled since 1990, reaching $86,200. The population is up 17% since 1990. The average commute runs 12 minutes. The median household earns $32,724, about 23% below the national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.5
US median: 35.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
20,504
+17%since 1990
from 17,567 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
11 / sq mi
+17%since 1990
from 10 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
36.5
+5%since 1990
from 34.7 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,839 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K19K20K22K23K19902000201020202024Sterling
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.3%(1,291)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.7%(1,373)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.1%(1,463)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.7%(1,779)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.7%(1,374)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.3%(2,521)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416%(3,285)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413%(2,675)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.7%(1,778)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.3%(1,491)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.2%(1,072)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2%(402)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,724
+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,065 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,721
+53%since 1990
from $10,899 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.2%
−2.8 ptssince 1990
from 14.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$86,200
+49%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $43,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$451
+23%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $279 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
69.9%
+3.2 ptssince 1990
from 66.7% in 1990
30.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic95.8%(16,834)
Black0.1%(14)
Hispanic / Latino7.9%(1,380)
Asian0.3%(57)
2000
White, non-Hispanic84.4%(17,310)
Black2%(411)
Hispanic / Latino11.9%(2,439)
Asian0.4%(77)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican12.2%(2,540)
Dominican0.6%(124)
Puerto Rican0.4%(85)
Spaniard0.1%(26)
Peruvian0.1%(12)
Cuban0%(3)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(99)
Korean0.1%(16)
Chinese0%(9)
Ancestry
German29.2%(6,094)
English9.9%(2,065)
Irish8.5%(1,775)
American2.6%(548)
Swedish2.2%(452)
Italian1.9%(402)
French1.7%(353)
Czech1.6%(336)
Danish1.6%(332)
Scottish1.5%(305)
Russian1.4%(302)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(252)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.2%(241)
Norwegian0.8%(175)
Polish0.8%(159)
Swiss0.4%(93)
Welsh0.3%(53)
Arab0.2%(52)
British0.2%(37)
Canadian0.2%(34)
Portuguese0.1%(28)
Brazilian0.1%(25)
Finnish0.1%(25)
Austrian0.1%(22)
Bulgarian0.1%(15)
Greek0.1%(15)
Lebanese0.1%(13)
Belgian0.1%(11)
Hungarian0.1%(11)
Ukrainian0.1%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.6%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 14.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
82.3%
+3.3 ptssince 1990
from 79.1% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
5.3%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 4.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
11.5 min
−43%since 1990
from 20.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.7%(1,972)
Married66.4%(5,770)
Widowed3.1%(273)
Divorced7.7%(672)
Women 15+
Never married18.4%(1,413)
Married60%(4,616)
Widowed11.7%(897)
Divorced10%(766)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
7.2%
−11.3 ptssince 2013
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
44.4%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 46.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 20.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
31.7%
+7.7 ptssince 2020
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.7%
−3.7 ptssince 2020
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.8%
+7.7 ptssince 2020
from 42.1% 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)27.9%(335)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.5%(174)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.4%(340)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(47)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,199 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro

Largest cities

SterlingCENTRAL13,054Fleming421Merino276Iliff246Peetz202Crook125Atwood62Padroni7
What's inside

1 component county

Logan CountyCENTRAL20,654
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Sterling

Arkadelphia
Pop 20,938
Ruidoso
Pop 19,844
Raymondville
Pop 19,971
Elk City
Pop 22,159
Places similar to Sterling
Head to head

Compare Sterling side by side

STERLING VS
Arkadelphia
Income$52,034+59%
Home value$155,000+80%
Population20,938+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Ruidoso
Income$53,303+63%
Home value$233,200+171%
Population19,844−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Raymondville
Income$54,180+66%
Home value$73,600−15%
Population19,971−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Elk City
Income$53,328+63%
Home value$143,500+66%
Population22,159+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Sterling, CO?

Sterling, CO has about 20,504 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Sterling, CO?

The typical household in Sterling, CO earns about $32,724 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sterling, CO expensive?

In Sterling, CO, the median home is worth about $86,200, and the typical rent is about $451 a month.

How educated are people in Sterling, CO?

About 14.6% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling, CO hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sterling, CO?

About 12.2% of people in Sterling, CO live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sterling, CO grown since 1990?

Yes, Sterling, CO has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,937 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Sterling, CO (2000): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy