Sterling, AK

Census Place

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2023 Population

6,776

7.44% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lisa Murkowski

Republican Party

US Senator

Dan Sullivan

Republican Party

US Representative

Nick Begich III

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

45.1

5.25% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

5.89%

40.3% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$110,341

12% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$346,100

4.12% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

2,777

0.251% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Sterling, AK had a population of 6.78k people with a median age of 45.1 and a median household income of $110,341. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Sterling, AK grew from 6,307 to 6,776, a 7.44% increase and its median household income grew from $98,542 to $110,341, a 12% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Sterling, AK are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.5%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (2.72%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.69%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.68%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.08%).

None of the households in Sterling, AK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.8% of the residents in Sterling, AK are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Sterling, AK was $346,100, and the homeownership rate was 86%.

Most people in Sterling, AK drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Sterling, AK was 2 cars per household.

United States Alaska Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK Matanuska-Susitna & Kenai Peninsula Boroughs PUMA, AK

Population & Diversity

Sterling, AK is home to a population of 6.78k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.84% of Sterling, AK residents were born outside of the country (260 people).

In 2023, there were 33.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (6.2k people) in Sterling, AK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 184 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 182 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2023 Citizenship

97.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.8% of Sterling, AK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Sterling, AK was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Sterling, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sterling, AK

White (Non-Hispanic)
6.2k ± 610
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
184 ± 107
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
182 ± 100

1.83%

Hispanic Population

124 people

1.83% of the people in Sterling, AK are hispanic (124 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Sterling, AK as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alaska.

Most Common Origin

Philippines
20,850 ± 3,494 people
Korea
3,574 ± 1,464 people
Mexico
3,318 ± 1,411 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alaska was Philippines, the natal country of 20,850 Alaska residents, followed by Korea with 3,574 and Mexico with 3,318.

Foreign-Born Population

3.84%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

260 people

3.95%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

249 people

As of 2023, 3.84% of Sterling, AK residents (260 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sterling, AK was 3.95%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Sterling, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
364 ± 153
Gulf War (2001-)
140 ± 106
Gulf War (1990s)
20 ± 34

Sterling, AK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.6 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Sterling, AK employs 2.78k people. The largest industries in Sterling, AK are Educational Services (391 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (328 people), and Manufacturing (264 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($119,531), Public Administration ($114,489), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($105,750).

Males in Alaska have an average income that is 1.25 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,037. The income inequality in Alaska (measured using the Gini index) is 0.436, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

2.78k

2023 Value

± 428

−0.251%

1 Year decline

± 21.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Sterling, AK declined at a rate of −0.251%, from 2.78k employees to 2.78k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sterling, AK, are Management Occupations (546 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (324 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (291 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sterling, AK.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alaska (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

2.78k

2023 Value

± 428

−0.251%

1 Year decline

± 21.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Sterling, AK declined at a rate of −0.251%, from 2.78k employees to 2.78k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sterling, AK, are Educational Services (391 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (328 people), and Manufacturing (264 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sterling, AK, though some of these residents may live in Sterling, AK and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$94,233

Median earning men ± $15,426

$48,906

Median earning women ± $13,262

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($250,001), Public Administration ($120,677), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($117,368).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($61,563), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,491), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($51,957).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Y-Axis

3.6%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 317k people employed in Alaska. This represents a 3.6% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.7%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Alaska.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alaska went to Donald J. Trump with 54.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (41.4%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing the state of Alaska. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Sterling, AK is currently represented by Nick Begich III in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Sterling, AK. Showing the available data for Alaska.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (54.5%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (41.4%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (1.68%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alaska went to Donald J. Trump with 54.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (41.4%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Alaska for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alaska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on December 20, 2002
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of her father Frank Murkowski, who was elected Governor of Alaska.

Dan Sullivan

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing Alaska.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Alaska over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Sterling, AK

Nick Begich III

District at-large Representative

Republican Party

Sterling, AK is currently represented by Nick Begich III (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Sterling, AK have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Measure

In 2022, 0.495% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.397% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (168k), Some college (147k), and Bachelors Degree (98.8k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Sterling, AK was $346,100 in 2023, which is 1.14 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $332,400 to $346,100, a 4.12% increase. The homeownership rate in Sterling, AK is 86%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Sterling, AK have an average commute time of 28.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sterling, AK is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$346,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$35,327

$2,363

Median Property Taxes

±$376

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Sterling, AK the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Sterling, AK compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

86%

Homeownership

2023

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 86% of the housing units in Sterling, AK were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 87.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Sterling, AK compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Census Tract 4

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

The following map shows all of the places in Sterling, AK colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$110,341

Median Household Income

± $20,140

2.75k

Number of Households

± 398

In 2023, the median household income of the 2.75k households in Sterling, AK grew to $110,341 from the previous year's value of $98,542.

The following chart displays the households in Sterling, AK distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sterling, AK is from Alaska.

0.436

2022 Wage GINI in Alaska

0.437

2021 Wage GINI in Alaska

In 2022, the income inequality in Alaska was 0.436 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.308% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Alaska was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alaska in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alaska across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (64.2%)
Carpooled (15.2%)
Worked At Home (12.7%)

In 2023, 64.2% of workers in Sterling, AK drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (15.2%) and those who worked at home (12.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sterling, AK have a longer commute time (28.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 7.03% of the workforce in Sterling, AK have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Sterling, AK compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Sterling, AK distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Sterling, AK have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

5.89% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sterling, AK (398 out of 6.76k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 65 - 74, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Sterling, AK is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.2% of the population of Sterling, AK has health coverage, with 42.6% on employee plans, 13.5% on Medicaid, 14.9% on Medicare, 16.6% on non-group plans, and 3.55% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK see 1292 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.996% decrease from the previous year (1305 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1423 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 285 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK.

1,292 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK

Primary care physicians in Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK see an average of 1,292 patients per year. This represents a 0.996% decrease from the previous year (1,305 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23% under 18 years, 15.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 25% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.82%

Uninsured

42.6%

Employer Coverage

13.5%

Medicaid

14.9%

Medicare

16.6%

Non-Group

3.55%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sterling, AK declined by 33.9% from 13.3% to 8.82%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Sterling, AK changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

Alaska

State

Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK

County

United States

Nation