Town · Massachusetts
Sterling, Massachusetts
Sterling, town, in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Sterling had 8,358 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,985 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,183 (±23). GEOID 2502767385.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,358
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,985 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,183 ±23
Median household income
$129,063
±$26,765 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$498,800
±$47,747 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,699
±$161 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Sterling and what county is it in?
Sterling is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It covers 30.6 square miles of land, 261 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sterling is in the Worcester, MA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Sterling is the same area as Census Tract 7191 of Worcester County: the tract's figures are Sterling's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sterling, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,358 people lived in Sterling on July 1, 2025, up 4.7% since 2020, faster than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 7,985 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,183 (±23).
| Measure | Sterling | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,183±23 | 867,788 | +92 |
| Households | 3,282±271 | 335,826 | +505 |
| Average household size | 2.45±0.20 | 2.50 | −0.40 |
| Housing units | 3,309±272 | 355,185 | +389 |
Sterling's population since 2000
From 7,257 in 2000 to 8,358 in 2025: up 15.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sterling 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?
The median resident of Sterling is 51.5 years old; 18.6% are under 18 and 22.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.1%. 6.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sterling | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5±1.8 | 40.2 | +4.7 |
| Under 18 years | 18.6%±2.6 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.9%±3.3 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Male | 49.5%±3.7 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.1%±5.3 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.3%±6.8 pts | 70.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0%±3.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.5%±2.0 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.7%±3.5 pts | 14.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.6%±5.6 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.0%±2.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 16.8%±4.8 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.6%±0.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1%±4.6 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 48.3%±5.4 pts | 39.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.6%±4.4 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.6%±1.7 pts | 88.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0%±1.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
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 earn?
Half of Sterling's 3,282 households earn less than $129,063 a year (±$26,765), against $95,939 in Worcester County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $149,478 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sterling | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $129,063±$26,765 | $95,939 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $165,108±$21,821 | $124,653 | – |
| Per capita income | $67,107±$9,521 | $48,914 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.0%±2.6 pts | 10.3% | +3.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0%±2.8 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.2%±6.0 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3%±1.7 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.0%±2.5 pts | 92.9% | – |
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?
Owners occupy 86.3% of Sterling's occupied homes and renters 13.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $498,800 by its owner (±$47,747). The median renter pays $1,699 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Sterling | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $498,800±$47,747 | $423,700 | +$55,750 |
| Median gross rent | $1,699±$161 | $1,426 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.5%±17.8 pts | 40.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,585±$185 | $2,387 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.3%±4.0 pts | 65.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.7%±4.0 pts | 34.2% | – |
| Housing units | 3,309±272 | 355,185 | +389 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.4%±6.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.7%±6.0 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±1.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6%±2.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.2%±3.1 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.3%±7.0 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7%±2.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
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 many new homes is Sterling building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Sterling in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 1.1 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Sterling work and get to work?
71.0% of Sterling's workers drive alone and 18.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.0%.
| Measure | Sterling | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.5%±5.2 pts | 66.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0%±2.4 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.0%±7.9 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.8%±2.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 5.5%±7.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.0%±1.6 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.3%±5.9 pts | 15.6% | +11.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.3 min±7.8 | 29.2 min | no clear change |
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?
1 census tract lies mostly in Sterling (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7191Worcester County | 8,183 | $129,063 |
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) · Census block assignment files
How does Sterling compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sterling is the 1,485th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 122nd-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Sterling ranks 144th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 122nd | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 34th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 377th | 461 |
| Median household income | 144th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 130th | 460 |
| Median home value | 245th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 176th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 191st | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 209th | 459 |
| Median age | 97th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 123rd | 460 |
| Work from home | 209th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 90th | 459 |
Sterling's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Sterling 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?
18 of the 57 figures for Sterling 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 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.