Sterling, IL Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 55,192 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Sterling, IL Micro Area

What is the median household income in Sterling, IL Micro Area?: The median household income in Sterling, IL Micro Area is $64,536 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Sterling, IL Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Sterling, IL Micro Area is 8.3% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Sterling, IL Micro Area?: $125,800 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Sterling, IL Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Sterling, IL Micro Area is $808 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Sterling, IL Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 20.1% of adults in Sterling, IL Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

55,192

Median Income

$64,536

Median Home Value

$125,800

Poverty Rate

8.3%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

4.6%

Median Age

43.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$10,304 (+19%) Home Value: +$19,100 (+17.9%) Poverty Rate: +1.0 pp (+13.7%) Bachelor's+: +1.9 pp (+10.4%) Unemployment: +0.1 pp (+2.2%)

Demographics

Total Population 55,192

Median Age 43.0

Female 49.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 13.1% White (non-Hisp.) 82.1% Black 1.1% Asian 0.5% Two or More 8.1% Other 2.2%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Filipino

0.3%

Indian

0.1%

Chinese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

10.7%

Puerto Rican

1.4%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $64,536 ±$4,377

Per Capita Income $84,399

Median Family Income $85,370

Poverty Rate 8.3%

Child Poverty Rate 14.9%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 13.3%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 33.7%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.9%

$10–15k

3.9%

$15–25k

8.9%

$25–35k

8.2%

$35–50k

14.0%

$50–75k

16.1%

$75–100k

13.0%

$100–150k

19.7%

$150–200k

6.7%

$200k+

4.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 25,850

Owner-Occupied 75.5%

Renter-Occupied 24.5%

Vacancy Rate 10.2%

Median Home Value $125,800

Median Gross Rent $808

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 11.7%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 38.4%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

6.4%

$50–100k

25.9%

$100–200k

27.1%

$200–300k

14.6%

$300–500k

6.5%

$500k–$1M

1.6%

$1M+

0.4%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

12.9%

$500–1k

59.1%

$1–1.5k

21.9%

$1.5–2k

4.1%

$2–2.5k

0.5%

$2.5–3.5k

0.3%

$3.5k+

1.2%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.7%

1 vehicle

34.9%

2 vehicles

36.7%

22.6%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

81.2%

Single-fam. att.

1.8%

2–4 units

4.3%

5–19 units

2.7%

20+ units

3.0%

Mobile home

2.2%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

25.7%

1940–1969

7.2%

1970–1999

16.4%

2000–2009

6.5%

2010+

3.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 91.0%

Bachelor's or Higher 20.1%

Graduate Degree 7.6%

Some College / Associate 22.3%

Less Than High School 3.4%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 62.2%

Unemployment Rate 4.6%

Work from Home 4.9%

Self-Employed 5.2%

Government Workers 15.7%

Private For-Profit 79.1%

Industry

Edu/Health

25.0%

Manufacturing

19.4%

Retail

12.0%

Transportation

7.0%

Prof. Services

6.5%

Arts/Entmt.

6.4%

Construction

5.6%

Public Admin

4.8%

Finance

3.8%

Agriculture

2.8%

Wholesale

2.2%

Information

0.5%

Occupation

Management

32.5%

Production

23.3%

Sales

18.7%

Food Prep

16.7%

Construction

8.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 19.9 min

Drove Alone 80.6%

Carpool 9.7%

Public Transit 0.3%

Work from Home 4.9%

Walked 3.5%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 23,215

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 44.1%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 14.1%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.3%

5–9

6.3%

10–14

6.5%

15–19

6.0%

20–24

5.6%

25–34

10.8%

35–44

11.4%

45–54

12.3%

55–64

6.6%

65–74

7.8%

75–84

12.3%

85+

6.3%

Under 18: 22.0% Working age (18–64): 78.0% 65 and over: 21.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 2.8%

Naturalized Citizen 49.5%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 1.9%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

61.6%

Asia

19.9%

Europe

9.0%

Africa

7.3%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 8.2%

With a Disability 15.3%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.5%

Uninsured 5.5%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 84.0%

Has a Computer 91.8%

Same House 1 Year Ago 91.1%

Moved from Abroad 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023