Census place 1772546

Sterling

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Sterling city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Sterling.

According to the 2025 estimate, Sterling has a population of 14,394 and 2,421 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 225 covered Illinois places are: median home value is $108,700, below the comparison median of $274,000; median household income is $57,350, below the comparison median of $90,282; and median gross rent is $859, below the comparison median of $1,347. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median home value
$108,700
Below the comparison median of $274,000
median household income
$57,350
Below the comparison median of $90,282
median gross rent
$859
Below the comparison median of $1,347

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Sterling's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
14,394
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.6%
Population estimate
Density
2,421/sq mi
5.9 sq mi land area
Median age
42.6 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$57,350
Median home value
$108,700
Median gross rent
$859
Bachelor’s degree or higher
21.1%
Typical commute
18.1 min
Drive-alone commute
78.6%
Public transit commute
0.3%
Walked to work
4.6%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
34.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
45.2%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
60.2%
Unemployed residents 16+
2.4%
Working from home
5.8%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
86.7%
Homes built 2020+
0%
Households without a vehicle
9.2%
Households with children
27.4%
Residents with a disability
15%
Residents without insurance
4.9%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Whiteside County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
6
Flood declarations
3
Hurricane declarations
1
Severe Storm declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: ROCKFORD GTR ROCKFORD AP (41 mi from place center)
Average high
58.8°F
Average low
40°F
Annual rainfall
37.2"
Annual snowfall
37.1"

Month by month

A year in Sterling.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Gloversville, NY

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
14,782
Median home
$106,400

Ashtabula, OH

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
17,474
Median home
$105,900

Bedford, OH

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
12,723
Median home
$135,200

Keep exploring

Compare Sterling with Gloversville