United States › Sterling MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Sterling Micro Sterling, IL · 1 counties · 55,691 residents · 684 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Sterling is home to 55,691 people. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. At a median age of 44.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $107,800. Owners hold 74% of the housing stock. 3% of people across the metro were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 5%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
54K 56K 58K 60K 61K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sterling Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $57,172
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,354 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $19,296 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Public administration 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Education & health services 1.1%
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$107,800
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$711
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $463 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 74.5% in 2000
26.4% rent
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.2 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 88.9%(53,946)
Hispanic / Latino 8.8%(5,347)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 81.4%(45,341)
Hispanic / Latino 12.8%(7,131)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 79.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 63.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 10.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 34.9%(7,793)
Women 15+
Never married 26.1%(5,944)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.6% 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) 13.3%(532)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.3%(690)
Share of the 3,998 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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Sterling Head to head
Compare Sterling side by side STERLING VS
Fairmont
Income $67,370 +18%
Home value $166,700 +55%
Population 55,584 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Kerrville
Income $69,395 +21%
Home value $321,200 +198%
Population 54,037 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Gloversville
Income $66,533 +16%
Home value $163,100 +51%
Population 52,216 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STERLING VS
Enterprise
Income $68,353 +20%
Home value $188,600 +75%
Population 56,953 +5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sterling, IL? Sterling, IL has about 55,691 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sterling, IL? The typical household in Sterling, IL earns about $57,172 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sterling, IL expensive? In Sterling, IL, the median home is worth about $107,800, and the typical rent is about $711 a month.
How educated are people in Sterling, IL? About 18.9% of adults age 25 and over in Sterling, IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sterling, IL? About 9.8% of people in Sterling, IL live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sterling, IL grown since 1990? Yes, Sterling, IL has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,495 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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