State
County
Land Area (mi²)
23.4 sq mi
Density (mi²)
714.60/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-0.75%
Growth Since 2010
-7.39%
Sterling is a city located in Whiteside County Illinois. Sterling has a 2020 population of 16,699. Sterling is currently declining at a rate of -0.75% annually and its population has decreased by -7.39% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 18,031 in 2010. Sterling reached it's highest population of 18,031 in 2010.
The average household income in Sterling is $68,067 with a poverty rate of 12.75%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $678 per month, and the median house value is $94,000. The median age in Sterling is 41.8 years, 40.8 years for males, and 43.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Sterling was:
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 15,302 | 88.77% |
| Two or More Races | 767 | 4.45% |
| Black or African American | 518 | 3.01% |
| Some Other Race | 356 | 2.07% |
| Asian | 274 | 1.59% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 11 | 0.06% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.05% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 7,174 | 2.33 | 64.6 |
| Married | 3,098 | 3.04 | 86 |
| Non Family | 2,814 | 1.21 | 46.1 |
| Female | 1,012 | 3.21 | 49.5 |
| Male | 250 | 2.63 | 69.6 |
2.96
Average Family Size
2.33
Average Household Size
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 554 | 4.68% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 834 | 7.04% |
| High School Graduate | 3,921 | 33.12% |
| Some College | 3,216 | 27.16% |
| Associates Degree | 1,139 | 9.62% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,274 | 10.76% |
| Graduate Degree | 901 | 7.61% |
| Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 8,898 | 8,119 | 1,861 |
| Hispanic | 2,299 | 1,822 | 203 |
| Black | 410 | 308 | 17 |
| Other Race | 260 | 202 | 7 |
| 2+ Races | 237 | 170 | 22 |
| Asian | 201 | 169 | 87 |
| Native American | 11 | 11 | |
| Islander | 9 | 9 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 43.28%.
$33,848
Average Earnings
$40,336
Average Male
$27,389
Average Female
86.36% of Sterling residents speak only English, while 13.64% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 10.77% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 11,443 | 1,418 | 12.39% |
| Hispanic | 4,285 | 501 | 11.69% |
| Multiple | 767 | 211 | 27.51% |
| Black | 487 | 88 | 18.07% |
| Asian | 274 | 10 | 3.65% |
| Other | 356 | 5 | 1.40% |
12.75%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.00%
Male Poverty Rate
12.52%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Sterling is Multiple, with 27.51% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Sterling is Other, with 1.40% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.81%. Among those working part-time, it was 11.19%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 18.44%.
46.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
48.1%
Male Marriage Rate
45.5%
Female Marriage Rate
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.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,079 | 9.02% |
| Hispanic | 197 | 6.95% |
| Black | 39 | 8.44% |
| 2+ Races | 31 | 8.81% |
| Asian | 5 | 2.38% |
6.68%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.58%
Veteran Disability Rate
62.1%
Labor Force Participation
59.4%
Employment Rate
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
94.03%
Native Born
5.97%
Foreign Born
4.19%
Non Citizen
1.78%
Naturalized
94.03% of Sterling residents were born in the United States, with 73.18% having been born in Illinois. 4.19% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,699 | -127 | -0.75% |
| 2020 | 16,826 | -127 | -0.75% |
| 2019 | 16,953 | -127 | -0.74% |
| 2018 | 17,080 | -151 | -0.88% |
| 2017 | 17,231 | -163 | -0.94% |
| 2016 | 17,394 | -141 | -0.80% |
| 2015 | 17,535 | -40 | -0.23% |
| 2014 | 17,575 | -107 | -0.61% |
| 2013 | 17,682 | -109 | -0.61% |
| 2012 | 17,791 | -158 | -0.88% |
| 2011 | 17,949 | -82 | -0.45% |
| 2010 | 18,031 | 0.00% |