City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Sterling Ranch, CO

Sterling Ranch's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

2,530
Residents
$198,750
Median income
$794,800
Median home
$1,429
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Sterling Ranch.

Place dossier plate

Sheet CO-STERLING-RANCH-CO · Sterling Ranch, CO 2,530 pop · income 98th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-TOP · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 2,530
  • INC-TOP $198,750
  • COL-PAR 103.1
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 98th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ River Hills
  • HOME-TOP $794,800
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: River Hills, WI (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Sterling Ranch

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Sterling Ranch on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Sterling Ranch on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,530.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $198,750. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Sterling Ranch - the verdict

Nationally, Sterling Ranch sits in the 98th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

98th
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
📝 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 Ranch, CO

2,530 people live in Sterling Ranch, Colorado - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Households in Sterling Ranch report a median income of $198,750 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.0%. Typical homes in Sterling Ranch are valued around $794,800, and the median resident age is 37.1 years. About 77.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 79.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Colorado scores 103.1 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,429 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Colorado's average monthly utility costs around $202 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 40.7 out of 100 (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Sterling Ranch's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to housing and income to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Sterling Ranch, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count, local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Sterling Ranch?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 53.1%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

How far does income reach against housing in Sterling Ranch?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 4.0 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 2.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 3

Which cities make useful reference points for Sterling Ranch?

Within Colorado, the closest population matches are Meeker (2,528 residents, $71,301 income); Park Center (2,544 residents, $68,882 income); Rangely (2,572 residents, $75,044 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Richmond, IL (2,530 residents); Spring Lake, MI (2,530 residents); Lake Crystal, MN (2,530 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

2,530 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$198,750 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 2.0% (Low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

City profile score · Sterling Ranch, CO

78/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income A+
$198,750

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share A+
77.6%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Poverty rate A
2.0%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Cost of living F
103.1 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Sterling Ranch profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate, Cost of living. Household incomeBachelor's+ sharePoverty rateCost of living 78 B+
Sterling Ranch profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 100/100 (A+) · $198,750
  • Bachelor's+ share: 100/100 (A+) · 77.6%
  • Poverty rate: 86/100 (A) · 2.0%
  • Cost of living: 26/100 (F) · 103.1 index

How does Sterling Ranch compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sterling Ranch stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 98% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sterling Ranch against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Colorado only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Colorado-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Sterling Ranch near the bottom of Colorado's cities

Among the 408 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Sterling Ranch ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sterling Ranch only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#9 of 379
98th percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 408
0th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#57 of 388
85th percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#272 of 408
32nd percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#25 of 408
94th percentile in Colorado
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Colorado only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

98thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

98th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sterling Ranch's home value compares nationally

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

$794,800 5th percentile more affordable than 5% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Ranch $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

Sterling Ranch's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.0×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#10,706 of 15,516
More affordable than 31% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#8,370 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 4.0×, Sterling Ranch sits in the moderate band: national rank #10,706 of 15,516 and #8,370 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$198,750 Sterling Ranch, CO median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Sterling Ranch, CO Sterling Ranch, CO's median household income ($198,750) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Sterling Ranch, CO-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Sterling Ranch, CO median $198,750/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 Ranch, CO median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Sterling Ranch, CO.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 77.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 79.2%

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

Population
2,530
Median Income
$198,750
Median Home Value
$794,800
Median Age
37.1
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Labor force participation
79.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
77.6%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
53.1%
Carpool
5.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
39.5%
Other
0.8%

Based on 1,459 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Colorado statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $202

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Colorado at $202 (electricity about $90 , water and sewer about $50 ).

These are Colorado statewide averages, not a meter reading for Sterling Ranch. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Colorado's BEA cost-of-living index is 103.1 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Sterling Ranch is $1,429/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Colorado statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 40.7 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Colorado statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Sterling Ranch sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Sterling Ranch compares to similar-size Colorado cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Sterling Ranch (this city) 2,530 $198,750
Meeker 2,528 $71,301
Park Center 2,544 $68,882
Rangely 2,572 $75,044
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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