Sterling township is located in Whiteside County Illinois. Sterling township has a 2024 population of 16,917. Sterling township is currently declining at a rate of -0.19% annually and its population has decreased by -2.32% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,319 in 2020.
The average household income in Sterling township is $77,227 with a poverty rate of 14.06%. The median age in Sterling township is 43.2 years: 39.4 years for males, and 45.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Sterling township was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 14,021 | 81.1% |
| Two or more races | 1,909 | 11.04% |
| Other race | 609 | 3.52% |
| Black or African American | 391 | 2.26% |
| Asian | 267 | 1.54% |
| Native American | 78 | 0.45% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.08% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 7,400 | 2.27 | 66.1 | 33.9 |
| Non Family | 3,131 | 1.2 | 45.2 | 54.8 |
| Married | 2,719 | 2.97 | 91 | 9 |
| Female | 1,199 | 3.21 | 65.8 | 34.2 |
| Male | 351 | 3.25 | 61 | 39 |
2.9
Average Family Size
2.27
Average Household Size
66.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 684 | 5.67% |
| Associates Degree | 1,287 | 10.67% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,273 | 10.55% |
| Graduate Degree | 962 | 7.97% |
| High School Graduate | 4,588 | 38.02% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 464 | 3.85% |
| Some College | 2,809 | 23.28% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 9,038 | 8,305 | 1,712 |
| Hispanic | 2,285 | 1,926 | 396 |
| 2+ Races | 884 | 763 | 187 |
| Other Race | 460 | 338 | 22 |
| Asian | 213 | 185 | 70 |
| Black | 208 | 189 | 51 |
| Native American | 63 | 42 | 42 |
| Islander | 14 | 14 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among native american people with a rate of 66.67%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $53,315 | $56,223 | $48,795 |
| Graduate Degree | $47,500 | $77,946 | $43,673 |
| High School Graduate | $37,563 | $40,706 | $27,500 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $24,583 | $43,750 | $19,567 |
| Overall | $41,761 | $44,363 | $37,705 |
| Some College | $43,321 | $45,042 | $37,075 |
$41,761
Average Earnings
$44,363
Average Male
$37,705
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
87.33% of Sterling township residents speak only English, while 12.67% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.43% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 11,365 | 1,294 | 11.39% |
| Multiple | 1,892 | 540 | 28.54% |
| Hispanic | 4,141 | 494 | 11.93% |
| Black | 373 | 89 | 23.86% |
| Other | 609 | 58 | 9.52% |
| Asian | 267 | 33 | 12.36% |
14.06%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.02%
Male Poverty Rate
15.18%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Sterling township is Multiple, with 28.54% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Sterling township is Other, with 9.52% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.55%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.25%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 19.04%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 21.2% |
| Some College | 10.29% |
| High School | 10.1% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.43% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 43.89% |
| Female Employed | 8.47% |
| Female Unemployed | 6.42% |
| Male Employed | 4.67% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $69,458 | $94,486 |
| Households | $52,861 | $77,227 |
| Married Families | $94,583 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $29,315 | $44,739 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.9%
Male Marriage Rate
40.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,152
Number of Veterans
1,063
Male Veterans
89
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 497 |
| Korea | 184 |
| Second Gulf War | 157 |
| First Gulf War | 144 |
| World War II | 23 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 389 |
| 75+ | 384 |
| 55 to 64 | 166 |
| 35 to 54 | 152 |
| 18 to 34 | 61 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 958 | 8.31% |
| Hispanic | 265 | 9.13% |
| 2+ Races | 114 | 9.65% |
| Other Race | 69 | 12.15% |
| Black | 11 | 3.7% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.16%
Veteran Poverty Rate
38.22%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61.4%
Labor Force Participation
58.4%
Employment Rate
4.9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
78.72%
Born in Sterling township
95.22%
Native Born
4.78%
Foreign Born
3.11%
Non Citizen
1.68%
Naturalized
95.22% of Sterling township residents were born in the United States, with 78.72% having been born in Illinois. 3.11% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 16,757 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2028 | 16,789 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2027 | 16,821 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2026 | 16,853 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2025 | 16,885 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2024 | 16,917 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2023 | 16,949 | -32 | -0.19% |
| 2022 | 16,981 | -243 | -1.41% |
| 2021 | 17,224 | -95 | -0.55% |
| 2020 | 17,319 | 358 | 2.11% |
| 2019 | 16,961 | -109 | -0.64% |
| 2018 | 17,070 | -175 | -1.01% |
| 2017 | 17,245 | -158 | -0.91% |
| 2016 | 17,403 | -138 | -0.79% |
| 2015 | 17,541 | -35 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 17,576 | -109 | -0.62% |
| 2013 | 17,685 | -107 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 17,792 | -157 | -0.87% |
| 2011 | 17,949 | -81 | -0.45% |
| 2010 | 18,030 | 0 | 0% |