Sterling, IL

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

55,932

0.628% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

43.6

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

12.1%

24.5% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$59,812

4.62% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$109,600

1.67% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

26,706

1.65% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Sterling, IL had a population of 55.9k people with a median age of 43.6 and a median household income of $59,812. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Sterling, IL grew from 55,583 to 55,932, a 0.628% increase and its median household income grew from $57,172 to $59,812, a 4.62% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Sterling, IL are White (Non-Hispanic) (83.8%), White (Hispanic) (8.08%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.73%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.93%), and Other (Hispanic) (1.54%).

None of the households in Sterling, IL 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.

98.3% of the residents in Sterling, IL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Sterling, IL are Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling (35 degrees awarded in 2021) and Morrison Institute of Technology (26 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Sterling, IL was $109,600, and the homeownership rate was 74.3%.

Most people in Sterling, IL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Sterling, IL was 2 cars per household.

Sterling, IL borders Clinton, IA, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL, Dixon, IL, Ottawa-Peru, IL, and Rochelle, IL.

United States Illinois

Population & Diversity

Sterling, IL is home to a population of 55.9k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.11% of Sterling, IL residents were born outside of the country (1.74k people).

In 2021, there were 10.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (46.9k people) in Sterling, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.52k White (Hispanic) and 1.53k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2021 Citizenship

98.2%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.3% of Sterling, IL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Sterling, IL was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sterling, IL

White (Non-Hispanic)
46.9k ± 96
White (Hispanic)
4.52k ± 471
Two+ (Hispanic)
1.53k ± 403

12.5%

Hispanic Population

6.96k people

12.5% of the people in Sterling, IL are hispanic (6.96k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
630,004 ± 19,002 people
India
162,094 ± 9,822 people
Poland
126,931 ± 8,704 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 630,004 Illinois residents, followed by India with 162,094 and Poland with 126,931.

Foreign-Born Population

3.11%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.74k people

3.02%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.68k people

As of 2021, 3.11% of Sterling, IL residents (1.74k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sterling, IL was 3.02%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,247 ± 213
Korea
444 ± 116
Gulf War (2001-)
428 ± 164

Sterling, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.81 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Sterling, IL employs 26.7k people. The largest industries in Sterling, IL are Manufacturing (5,627 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,064 people), and Retail Trade (3,150 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($133,438), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($72,826), and Public Administration ($60,530).

Males in Illinois have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $61,278. The income inequality in Illinois (measured using the Gini index) is 0.478, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

26.7k

2021 Value

± 1,066

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 5.57%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Sterling, IL grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 26.3k employees to 26.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sterling, IL, are Production Occupations (3,459 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,186 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,310 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sterling, IL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Illinois (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

26.7k

2021 Value

± 1,066

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 5.57%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Sterling, IL grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 26.3k employees to 26.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sterling, IL, are Manufacturing (5,627 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,064 people), and Retail Trade (3,150 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sterling, IL, though some of these residents may live in Sterling, IL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,506

Median earning men ± $1,990

$27,973

Median earning women ± $2,459

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($67,330), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,147), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,455).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($47,339), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($40,804), and Manufacturing ($36,297).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Illinois. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

384
Manufacturing
355
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
297
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$769k
Manufacturing
$130k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$101k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Illinois to other states, or from other states to Illinois.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Illinois product (by dollars) was Electronics with $134B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($110B) and Mixed freight ($86.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Illinois products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Illinois.

$1T

2020 Value in Illinois

$1.94T

Projected 2050 Value in Illinois

93.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Illinois trade was $1T. This is expected to increase 93.1% to $1.94T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Illinois trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Illinois to other states, or from other states to Illinois.

Most Common Trade Partners

Indiana
$79.7B
Wisconsin
$55.8B
Michigan
$41.4B

In 2020, the top outbound Illinois domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Indiana with $79.7B, followed by Wisconsin with $55.8B and Michigan and $41.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Illinois shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (40.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.1%).

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing the state of Illinois. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Illinois is currently represented by 17 members 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, IL. Showing the available data for Illinois.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (57.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (40.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.1%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (40.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.1%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Illinois for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Illinois

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

Dick Durbin

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Tammy Duckworth

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing Illinois.

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 Illinois over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Illinois

Illinois is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house.

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

Education

In 2021, universities in Sterling, IL awarded 61 degrees. The student population of Sterling, IL in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 68 male students and 41 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Sterling, IL are White (57 and 93.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (3 and 4.92%), Black or African American (1 and 1.64%), and Asian (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in Sterling, IL by number of degrees awarded are Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling (35 and 57.4%) and Morrison Institute of Technology (26 and 42.6%).

The most popular majors in Sterling, IL are General Cosmetology (31 and 50.8%), General Engineering Technology (15 and 24.6%), and System, Networking, & LAN/WAN Management (11 and 18%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 109 students enrolled in Sterling, IL, 62.4% men and 37.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 94 records, of which 36.2% were women and 63.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor
3 degree-majors awarded
General Cosmetology
31 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Sterling, IL was Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor with 3 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Sterling, IL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling
35 degrees awarded
Morrison Institute of Technology
26 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling with 35 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 28 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Sterling, IL, which is 0.848 times less than the 33 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 57 degrees mean that there were 19 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 3 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($16,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($1,400) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.977% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.946% 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 Illinois.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.61M), Some college (2.19M), and Bachelors Degree (2.07M).

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, IL was $109,600 in 2021, which is 0.448 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $107,800 to $109,600, a 1.67% increase. The homeownership rate in Sterling, IL is 74.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Sterling, IL have an average commute time of 20.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sterling, IL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Sterling, IL is $59,812. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Sterling, IL was Kendall County, IL with a value of $101,816, followed by DuPage County, IL and Lake County, IL, with respective values of $100,292 and $97,127.

Housing

Property

$109,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,009

$17,232

Median Property Taxes

±$758

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, IL the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

74.3%

Homeownership

2021

61%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 74.3% of the housing units in Sterling, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 74.3%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Sterling, IL was Kendall County, IL with a value of $101,816, followed by DuPage County, IL and Lake County, IL, with respective values of $100,292 and $97,127.

The following map shows all of the counties in Sterling, IL 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.

$59,812

Median Household Income

± $3,300

23.2k

Number of Households

± 960

In 2021, the median household income of the 23.2k households in Sterling, IL grew to $59,812 from the previous year's value of $57,172.

The following chart displays the households in Sterling, IL 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sterling, IL is from Illinois.

0.478

2021 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.479

2020 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2021, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0522% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Illinois in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (83.3%)
Carpooled (9.07%)
Walked (3.15%)

In 2021, 83.3% of workers in Sterling, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.07%) and those who walked to work (3.15%).

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

20.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sterling, IL have a shorter commute time (20.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.8% of the workforce in Sterling, IL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sterling, IL (6.66k out of 54.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 6 - 11.

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

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

94.3% of the population of Sterling, IL has health coverage, with 48.5% on employee plans, 16.2% on Medicaid, 16.5% on Medicare, 12% on non-group plans, and 1.1% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Illinois see 1231 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.806% decrease from the previous year (1241 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1221 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 372 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,231 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Illinois

Primary care physicians in Illinois see an average of 1,231 patients per year. This represents a 0.806% decrease from the previous year (1,241 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24% under 18 years, 17% between 18 and 34 years, 38.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.71%

Uninsured

48.5%

Employer Coverage

16.2%

Medicaid

16.5%

Medicare

12%

Non-Group

1.1%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sterling, IL grew by 5.2% from 5.43% to 5.71%.

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