Township · Illinois
Sterling Township, Illinois
Sterling Township, township, in Whiteside County, Illinois. Sterling Township had 16,822 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 17,357 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 17,089 (±37). GEOID 1719572553.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
16,822
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 17,357 · ACS 2020-2024: 17,089 ±37
Median household income
$61,764
±$6,387 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$115,200
±$5,638 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$865
±$50 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Sterling Township and what county is it in?
Sterling Township is a township in Whiteside County, Illinois. It covers 23.4 square miles of land, 743 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Sterling Township: Sterling (city, 14,764 in 2020). Part of Galt (CDP) also lies in it.
Sterling Township is in the Sterling, IL micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sterling Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 16,822 people lived in Sterling Township on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 17,357 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 17,089 (±37).
| Measure | Sterling Township | Whiteside County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,089±37 | 54,947 | −148 |
| Households | 7,447±273 | 23,120 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.24±0.08 | 2.33 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,318±270 | 25,837 | no clear change |
Sterling Township's population since 2000
From 18,679 in 2000 to 16,822 in 2025: down 9.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sterling Township as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Sterling Township?
The median resident of Sterling Township is 42.6 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 21.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 24.7%. 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sterling Township | Whiteside County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6±2.2 | 43.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.7%±1.5 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.6%±1.7 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Male | 49.6%±1.8 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.7%±2.5 pts | 13.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.5%±2.5 pts | 80.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.5%±0.9 pts | 1.2% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±0.5 pts | 0.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8%±1.3 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.8%±1.4 pts | 3.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.4%±2.0 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.7%±1.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 14.6%±1.9 pts | 15.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.6%±1.4 pts | 5.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.0%±2.1 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.1%±2.7 pts | 20.5% | +4.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.5%±1.9 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2%±1.6 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8%±0.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Sterling Township earn?
Half of Sterling Township's 7,447 households earn less than $61,764 a year (±$6,387), against $67,500 in Whiteside County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $57,640 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sterling Township | Whiteside County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,764±$6,387 | $67,500 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $85,994±$7,916 | $86,592 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,188±$3,695 | $37,312 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.6%±3.2 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.2%±7.9 pts | 17.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.9%±3.4 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.6%±2.0 pts | 93.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.2%±2.8 pts | 86.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Sterling Township?
Owners occupy 68.4% of Sterling Township's occupied homes and renters 31.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $115,200 by its owner (±$5,638). The median renter pays $865 a month including utilities, and 37.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sterling Township | Whiteside County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $115,200±$5,638 | $127,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $865±$50 | $856 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.3%±8.1 pts | 37.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,182±$51 | $1,216 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.4%±3.6 pts | 76.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.6%±3.6 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Housing units | 8,318±270 | 25,837 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0%±1.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.4%±4.2 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.2%±3.0 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.4%±1.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.5%±3.4 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.4%±2.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Sterling Township work and get to work?
78.8% of Sterling Township's workers drive alone and 5.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.6%.
| Measure | Sterling Township | Whiteside County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.5%±2.9 pts | 61.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6%±1.5 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 78.8%±3.0 pts | 80.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.9%±2.3 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 4.0%±2.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.8%±1.6 pts | 6.1% | +3.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min±2.0 | 20.3 min | +2.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Sterling Township?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Sterling Township, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $43,641 (Tract 10) to $83,553 (Tract 11.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 12Whiteside County | 3,741 | $63,919 |
| Tract 9Whiteside County | 3,467 | $72,232 |
| Tract 13Whiteside County | 2,848 | $57,358 |
| Tract 11.01Whiteside County | 2,829 | $83,553 |
| Tract 10Whiteside County | 2,610 | $43,641 |
| Tract 11.02Whiteside County | 1,736 | $55,768 |
| Tract 1Whiteside County | 3,581 | $95,546 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Sterling Township) · Census block assignment files
How does Sterling Township compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sterling Township is the 729th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 109th-most populous of 1,407 in Illinois.
Sterling Township ranks 1,055th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 109th | 1,407 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,013th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 712th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,055th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 711th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,057th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 808th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 348th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 725th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 506th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,088th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 909th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 1,238th | 1,382 |
Sterling Township's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Sterling Township with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Sterling Township?
7 of the 57 figures for Sterling Township on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Sterling Township are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.