Village · Michigan
Sterling, Michigan
Sterling, village, in Arenac County, Michigan. Sterling had 451 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.2% from the Bureau's April 2020 estimates base of 450; the 2020 Census counted 474 on the place as it was defined then and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 448 (±80). GEOID 2676420.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
451
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 474 · ACS 2020-2024: 448 ±80
Median household income
$61,563
±$9,164 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$89,200
±$8,401 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$775
±$84 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Sterling and what county is it in?
Sterling is a village in Arenac County, Michigan. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 485 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sterling lies entirely within Deep River Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
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 451 people lived in Sterling on July 1, 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, in line with Michigan (+0.5%). The Census Bureau's yearly estimates start from its own April 2020 base for Sterling, 450, which differs from the 2020 Census count of 474: the estimates follow the place as the estimates program defines it today (its present boundaries, and for a consolidated city-county the area the program assigns it), so the change since 2020 is measured from that base. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 448 (±80).
| Measure | Sterling | Arenac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 448 ±80 | 15,077 | no clear change |
| Households | 155 ±29 | 6,552 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.65 ±0.32 | 2.27 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 186 ±34 | 9,554 | no clear change |
Sterling's population since 2000
From 533 in 2000 to 451 in 2025: down 15.4%. 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 44.0 years old; 19.9% are under 18 and 17.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 2.5%.
| Measure | Sterling | Arenac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 ±7.0 | 50.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.9% ±5.0 pts | 18.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.0% ±6.0 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Male | 46.4% ±6.2 pts | 51.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.0% ±7.0 pts | 93.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±6.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±1.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±3.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| With a disability | 20.2% ±5.9 pts | 17.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±2.1 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.5% ±6.6 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.5% ±6.5 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2% ±2.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.5% ±4.3 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 155 households earn less than $61,563 a year (±$9,164), against $58,811 in Arenac County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $47,689 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $13,874 after inflation. 11.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sterling | Arenac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,563 ±$9,164 | $58,811 | +$13,874 |
| Mean household income | $73,137 ±$9,770 | $72,218 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,230 ±$3,973 | $32,082 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.0% ±4.9 pts | 11.7% | −10.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.0% ±9.5 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.5% ±9.8 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±17.5 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±4.6 pts | 87.0% | – |
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 87.7% of Sterling's occupied homes and renters 12.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $89,200 by its owner (±$8,401). The median renter pays $775 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Sterling | Arenac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $89,200 ±$8,401 | $150,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $775 ±$84 | $761 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±73.6 pts | 35.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $928 ±$47 | $1,140 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.7% ±6.6 pts | 86.2% | +23.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.3% ±6.6 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Housing units | 186 ±34 | 9,554 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±65.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.0% ±6.9 pts | 81.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.0% ±5.3 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±14.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.5% ±1.5 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.0% ±8.7 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.9% ±2.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 work and get to work?
83.4% of Sterling's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.7 minutes.
| Measure | Sterling | Arenac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.5% ±8.4 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±4.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.4% ±6.3 pts | 79.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.8% ±5.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±1.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±3.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.7 min ±5.4 | 26.6 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Sterling; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9703Arenac County | 2,966 | $57,665 |
| Tract 9702Arenac County | 3,150 | $60,368 |
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 Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sterling is the 13,623rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 450th-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Sterling is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 450th | 533 |
Sterling's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, 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?
22 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' public schools in Sterling.