Sterling, IL

Census Place

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2024 Population

14,717

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2024 Poverty Rate

15.3%

6.59% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$57,350

8.93% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$108,700

0.835% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

7,260

0.29% 1-year growth

About

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.

97.1% of the residents in Sterling, IL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Sterling, IL are Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling (32 degrees awarded in 2024).

In 2024, the median property value in Sterling, IL was $108,700, and the homeownership rate was 65.1%.

Most people in Sterling, IL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Sterling, IL was 2 cars per household.

United States Illinois Whiteside County, IL Sterling, IL Whiteside, Stephenson, Lee, Jo Daviess & Carroll Counties PUMA, IL

Population & Diversity

Sterling, IL is home to a population of 14.7k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.4% of Sterling, IL residents were born outside of the country (795 people).

In 2024, there were 6.77 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (9.59k people) in Sterling, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.42k White (Hispanic) and 1.26k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%

2024 Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.1% of Sterling, IL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Sterling, IL was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
9.59k ± 500
White (Hispanic)
1.42k ± 481
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
1.26k ± 322

26.8%

Hispanic Population

3.95k people

26.8% of the people in Sterling, IL are hispanic (3.95k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Sterling, IL 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 Illinois.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
637,284 ± 19,101 people
India
166,788 ± 9,961 people
Poland
117,148 ± 8,364 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 637,284 Illinois residents, followed by India with 166,788 and Poland with 117,148.

Foreign-Born Population

5.4%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

795 people

4.69%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

688 people

As of 2024, 5.4% of Sterling, IL residents (795 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, IL was 4.69%, 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
446 ± 164
Gulf War (1990s)
149 ± 86
Korea
130 ± 87

Sterling, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.99 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

95.1% of the population of Sterling, IL has health coverage, with 47.6% on employee plans, 17.5% on Medicaid, 16.5% on Medicare, 10.4% on non-group plans, and 3.16% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Illinois see 1,264 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,264 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1189 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 297 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.7% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 36.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.86%

Uninsured

47.6%

Employer Coverage

17.5%

Medicaid

16.5%

Medicare

10.4%

Non-Group

3.16%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sterling, IL declined by 22% from 6.23% to 4.86%.

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.

Economy

The economy of Sterling, IL employs 7.26k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Sterling, IL were Manufacturing (1,187 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,176 people), and Retail Trade (988 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,625), Public Administration ($59,457), and Construction ($55,256).

Employment

Occupations

7.26k

2024 Value

± 626

0.29%

1 Year growth

± 12.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sterling, IL grew at a rate of 0.29%, from 7.24k employees to 7.26k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sterling, IL, are Production Occupations (854 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (799 people), and Material Moving Occupations (570 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 Illinois.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

7.26k

2024 Value

± 626

0.29%

1 Year growth

± 12.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sterling, IL grew at a rate of 0.29%, from 7.24k employees to 7.26k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sterling, IL, are Manufacturing (1,187 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,176 people), and Retail Trade (988 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

$44,903

Median earning men ± $2,837

$36,484

Median earning women ± $3,643

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($86,607), Public Administration ($71,569), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($56,250).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($50,741), Manufacturing ($47,000), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($46,875).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.47%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Illinois. This represents a 2.47% 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%.

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

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.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (54.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (43.5%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.43%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

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

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.

Education

In 2024, universities in Sterling, IL awarded 32 degrees. The student population of Sterling, IL in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 59 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Sterling, IL are White (28 and 87.5%), Hispanic or Latino (3 and 9.38%), and Black or African American (1 and 3.13%).

The largest universities in Sterling, IL by number of degrees awarded are Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling (32 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Sterling, IL are General Cosmetology (32 and 100%), Nail Specialist & Manicurist (0 and 0%), and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (0 and 0%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 59 students enrolled in Sterling, IL, 0% men and 100% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 43 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

Completions

Concentrations

General Cosmetology

Most Common

32 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Sterling, IL was General Cosmetology with 32 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

Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

32 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling with 32 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 1 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Sterling, IL, which is 0.0323 times less than the 31 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 28 degrees mean that there were 9.33 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Sterling, IL was $108,700 in 2024, which is 0.327 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $107,800 to $108,700, a 0.835% increase. The homeownership rate in Sterling, IL is 65.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Sterling, IL have an average commute time of 18.1 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.

Housing

Property

$108,700

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,819

$4,281

Median Property Taxes

±$428

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

65.1%

Homeownership

2024

61.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 65.1% of the housing units in Sterling, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.8%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$57,350

Median Household Income

± $4,755

6.58k

Number of Households

± 553

In 2024, the median household income of the 6.58k households in Sterling, IL grew to $57,350 from the previous year's value of $52,647.

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.

0.471

2024 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.474

2023 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2024, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.55% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more 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 2024

Drove Alone (78.6%)
Carpooled (8.14%)
Worked At Home (5.76%)

In 2024, 78.6% of workers in Sterling, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.14%) and those who worked at home (5.76%).

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

18.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sterling, IL have a shorter commute time (18.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.11% 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

15.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sterling, IL (2.21k out of 14.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 45 - 54, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 45 - 54.

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.