Sterling, AK

Census Place

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2024 Population
6,323
US Senator
Lisa Murkowski
Republican Party
US Senator
Dan Sullivan
Republican Party
US Representative
Nick Begich III
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
46.8
3.77% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
4.55%
22.7% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$102,415
7.18% 1-year decline
2024 Median Property Value
$353,400
2.11% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
2,629
5.33% 1-year decline

About

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.

98.8% of the residents in Sterling, AK are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Sterling, AK was $353,400, and the homeownership rate was 86.6%.

Most people in Sterling, AK drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Sterling, AK was 3 cars per household.

United StatesAlaskaKenai Peninsula Borough, AKMatanuska-Susitna & Kenai Peninsula Boroughs PUMA, AK

Population & Diversity

Sterling, AK is home to a population of 6.32k people, from which 98.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.4% of Sterling, AK residents were born outside of the country (215 people).

In 2024, there were 27 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (5.72k people) in Sterling, AK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 212 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 162 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.8%
2024 Citizenship
97.8%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.8% of Sterling, AK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Sterling, AK was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sterling, AK
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    5.72k ± 653
  2. American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
    212 ± 97
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    162 ± 102
2.96%
Hispanic Population
187 people

In 2024, there were 27 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (5.72k people) in Sterling, AK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 212 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 162 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

2.96% of the people in Sterling, AK are hispanic (187 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Sterling, AK as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alaska.
Most Common Origin
  1. Philippines
    21,500 ± 3,547 people
  2. Korea
    3,560 ± 1,461 people
  3. Mexico
    3,032 ± 1,349 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alaska was Philippines, the natal country of 21,500 Alaska residents, followed by Korea with 3,560 and Mexico with 3,032.

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Foreign-Born Population

3.4%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
215 people
3.84%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
260 people

As of 2024, 3.4% of Sterling, AK residents (215 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sterling, AK was 3.84%, 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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    405 ± 155
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    155 ± 132

Sterling, AK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.61 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Sterling, AK.

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Economy

The economy of Sterling, AK employs 2.63k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Sterling, AK were Construction (381 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (365 people), and Educational Services (323 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($122,000), Public Administration ($119,830), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($117,750).

Employment

Occupations

2.63k
2024 Value
± 432
−5.33%
1 Year decline
± 23.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sterling, AK declined at a rate of −5.33%, from 2.78k employees to 2.63k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sterling, AK, are Management Occupations (494 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (393 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (241 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sterling, AK.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

2.63k
2024 Value
± 432
−5.33%
1 Year decline
± 23.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sterling, AK declined at a rate of −5.33%, from 2.78k employees to 2.63k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sterling, AK, are Construction (381 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (365 people), and Educational Services (323 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$85,500
Median earning men ± $14,766
$52,015
Median earning women ± $9,708

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($250,001), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($121,400), and Public Administration ($119,830).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($70,950), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($67,933), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,686).

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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.

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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

Voting results are not available for Sterling, AK. Showing the available data for Alaska.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (54.5%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (41.4%)
    Democratic Party
  3. 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.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Alaska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.
Lisa Murkowski
Senator from Alaska3
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 Alaska2
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.

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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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Sterling, AK was $353,400 in 2024, which is 1.06 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $346,100 to $353,400, a 2.11% increase. The homeownership rate in Sterling, AK is 86.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Sterling, AK have an average commute time of 30.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sterling, AK is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$353,400
Median Property Value 2024
±$39,407
$2,354
Median Property Taxes
±$387

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 $2k - $3k range.

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

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Rent vs Own

86.6%
Homeownership
2024
67.4%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 86.6% of the housing units in Sterling, AK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 86%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$102,415
Median Household Income
± $26,142
2.72k
Number of Households
± 428

In 2024, the median household income of the 2.72k households in Sterling, AK declined from $102,415 from the previous year's value of $110,341.

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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sterling, AK is from Alaska.
0.432
2023 Wage GINI in Alaska
0.436
2022 Wage GINI in Alaska

In 2023, the income inequality in Alaska was 0.432 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.907% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Alaska was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (61.7%)
  2. Carpooled (15%)
  3. Worked At Home (14.6%)

In 2024, 61.7% of workers in Sterling, AK drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (15%) and those who worked at home (14.6%).

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.

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Commute Time

30.1 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sterling, AK have a longer commute time (30.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 8.09% 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.

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Car Ownership

3 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 3 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

4.55% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sterling, AK (287 out of 6.31k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. 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.

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Health

90.4% of the population of Sterling, AK has health coverage, with 37.8% on employee plans, 12% on Medicaid, 17.6% on Medicare, 19.5% on non-group plans, and 3.51% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Alaska see 1,033 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,033 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 954 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 131 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.8% were men and 49.2% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.1% under 18 years, 15.4% between 18 and 34 years, 36.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 27.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.8% were men and 49.2% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

9.64%
Uninsured
37.8%
Employer Coverage
12%
Medicaid
17.6%
Medicare
19.5%
Non-Group
3.51%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sterling, AK grew by 9.34% from 8.82% to 9.64%.

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.

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