City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Sterling, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sterling - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

13,273
Residents
$44,242
Median income
$205,200
Median home
$1,101
Median rent (state)

Sterling - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Sterling lands in the 12th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

12th
percentile, household income
44th
percentile, home value
29th
percentile, median rent
12th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sterling, CO

Sterling is a small town in Colorado, home to 13,273 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $44,242 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.3%. Home values in Sterling run a median of $205,200, and the median resident age is 38.0 years. 14.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 50.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Sterling (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Sterling's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3318.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 51.4°F with 15.2 inches of precipitation per year.

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Colorado at 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,101 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Colorado's average monthly utility costs around $202 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 58.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

13,273 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$44,242 /yr

Poverty 12.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Sterling compare to other US cities?

Where Sterling sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 12% higher than other cities
Home value 44% pricier than other cities
Median rent 29% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Colorado alone, Sterling ranks #91 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sterling's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

12thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

12th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sterling's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sterling's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 29 Avg. percentile National median
Sterling's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sterling's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$205,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 56% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Sterling $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sterling, CO Sterling, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sterling, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sterling, CO median $44,242/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sterling, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sterling, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
13,273
Median Income
$44,242
Median Home Value
$205,200
Median Age
38.0
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Labor force participation
50.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3318.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
398.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2920.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.4°F
Annual Precipitation
15.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,800 residents13,000 residents13,200 residents13,400 residents13,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,419 residents 13,054 residents ▼ -2.7%
Sterling's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 0
2022 2
2023 1
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.7%
Carpool
12.8%
Public Transit
3.4%
Walk
4.1%
Work from Home
7.6%

Based on 5,610 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sterling sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,101/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
58.7 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Steamboat Springs
13,341 people
Superior
13,136 people
Fruita
13,578 people
Castle Pines
12,573 people
Lone Tree
14,136 people
Federal Heights
14,160 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sterling's 13,273 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hawaiian Paradise Park, HI
13,273 people
Clayton, OH
13,269 people
Tega Cay, SC
13,267 people
Loveland, OH
13,280 people
Kings Park West, VA
13,281 people
Marietta, OH
13,282 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sterling's $44,242 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bayview CDP (Humboldt County), CA
$44,239 median income
Danville, IL
$44,239 median income
Ames, TX
$44,236 median income
Cottondale, AL
$44,250 median income
Yarborough Landing, AR
$44,250 median income
Concord, IL
$44,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sterling, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sterling, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.3% 10.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.9% White 79.3% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 2.4% Some other race 3.9% Two or more races 10.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sterling compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sterling (this city) 13,273 $44,242
Steamboat Springs 13,341 $100,156
Superior 13,136 $157,909
Fruita 13,578 $77,680
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sterling, CO?

What is the population of Sterling, CO? +

The population of Sterling, CO stands at 13,273 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sterling, CO? +

In Sterling, the typical household earns $44,242 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sterling? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sterling; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Sterling, CO safe? +

Sterling has a total crime rate of 3318.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sterling, CO? +

Sterling's median home value sits at $205,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Sterling? +

The average annual temperature in Sterling runs 51.4°F, 15.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.