Sterling is a city located in Logan County Colorado. Sterling has a 2024 population of 12,803. It is also the county seat of Logan County. Sterling is currently declining at a rate of -1.17% annually and its population has decreased by -4.51% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 13,407 in 2020.
The average household income in Sterling is $59,659 with a poverty rate of 15.24%. The median age in Sterling is 38 years: 36.3 years for males, and 39.5 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Sterling was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 10,522 | 79.27% |
| Two or more races | 1,436 | 10.82% |
| Other race | 522 | 3.93% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 317 | 2.39% |
| Black or African American | 311 | 2.34% |
| Native American | 114 | 0.86% |
| Asian | 51 | 0.38% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4,977 | 2.27 | 59 | 41 |
| Non Family | 2,358 | 1.18 | 45 | 55 |
| Married | 1,640 | 3.23 | 83.8 | 16.2 |
| Female | 734 | 3.33 | 54 | 46 |
| Male | 245 | 3.11 | 42.9 | 57.1 |
3.16
Average Family Size
2.27
Average Household Size
59.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,068 | 11.04% |
| Associates Degree | 900 | 9.3% |
| Bachelors Degree | 814 | 8.41% |
| Graduate Degree | 598 | 6.18% |
| High School Graduate | 4,163 | 43.03% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 286 | 2.96% |
| Some College | 1,846 | 19.08% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,059 | 6,243 | 1,211 |
| Hispanic | 1,825 | 1,465 | 27 |
| 2+ Races | 1,035 | 840 | 33 |
| Other Race | 425 | 379 | 8 |
| Black | 270 | 263 | 145 |
| Islander | 217 | 100 | 0 |
| Native American | 114 | 88 | 0 |
| Asian | 26 | 26 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among black people with a rate of 53.7%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $39,826 | $47,368 | $36,389 |
| Graduate Degree | $39,186 | $39,722 | $39,137 |
| High School Graduate | $33,137 | $35,589 | $28,935 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,188 | $27,313 | $16,250 |
| Overall | $33,234 | $37,684 | $30,672 |
| Some College | $31,471 | $42,250 | $30,142 |
$33,234
Average Earnings
$37,684
Average Male
$30,672
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
87.75% of Sterling residents speak only English, while 12.25% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.46% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 8,300 | 1,484 | 17.88% |
| Hispanic | 2,243 | 219 | 9.76% |
| Multiple | 1,136 | 168 | 14.79% |
| Other | 494 | 36 | 7.29% |
| Asian | 43 | 17 | 39.53% |
| Black | 152 | 7 | 4.61% |
15.24%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.77%
Male Poverty Rate
14.7%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Sterling is Asian, with 39.53% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Sterling is Black, with 4.61% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.91%. Among those working part-time, it was 11.79%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.59%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| High School | 16.28% |
| Some College | 14.48% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 13.39% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.01% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 51.4% |
| Female Unemployed | 30.51% |
| Male Employed | 6.69% |
| Female Employed | 4.18% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $60,566 | $74,095 |
| Households | $44,242 | $59,659 |
| Married Families | $66,842 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $36,068 | $39,619 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.9%
Male Marriage Rate
36.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
946
Number of Veterans
902
Male Veterans
44
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 274 |
| Vietnam | 215 |
| First Gulf War | 157 |
| Korea | 55 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 278 |
| 35 to 54 | 250 |
| 65 to 74 | 219 |
| 75+ | 112 |
| 18 to 34 | 87 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 696 | 8.04% |
| Hispanic | 202 | 9.23% |
| 2+ Races | 163 | 13.22% |
| Other Race | 87 | 16.86% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
4.59%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.82%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
54.8%
Labor Force Participation
50.7%
Employment Rate
7.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
54.71%
Born in Sterling
94.82%
Native Born
5.18%
Foreign Born
2.59%
Non Citizen
2.58%
Naturalized
94.82% of Sterling residents were born in the United States, with 54.71% having been born in Colorado. 2.59% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 12,048 | -151 | -1.24% |
| 2028 | 12,199 | -151 | -1.22% |
| 2027 | 12,350 | -151 | -1.21% |
| 2026 | 12,501 | -151 | -1.19% |
| 2025 | 12,652 | -151 | -1.18% |
| 2024 | 12,803 | -151 | -1.17% |
| 2023 | 12,954 | -121 | -0.93% |
| 2022 | 13,075 | -131 | -0.99% |
| 2021 | 13,206 | -201 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 13,407 | -1,111 | -7.65% |
| 2019 | 14,518 | 53 | 0.37% |
| 2018 | 14,465 | -7 | -0.05% |
| 2017 | 14,472 | -77 | -0.53% |
| 2016 | 14,549 | -32 | -0.22% |
| 2015 | 14,581 | -13 | -0.09% |
| 2014 | 14,594 | 206 | 1.43% |
| 2013 | 14,388 | -122 | -0.84% |
| 2012 | 14,510 | -195 | -1.33% |
| 2011 | 14,705 | -123 | -0.83% |
| 2010 | 14,828 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 11,360 | 998 | 9.63% |
| 1990 | 10,362 | -1,023 | -8.99% |
| 1980 | 11,385 | 749 | 7.04% |
| 1970 | 10,636 | -115 | -1.07% |
| 1960 | 10,751 | 3,217 | 42.7% |
| 1950 | 7,534 | 123 | 1.66% |
| 1940 | 7,411 | 216 | 3% |
| 1930 | 7,195 | 780 | 12.16% |
| 1920 | 6,415 | 3,371 | 110.74% |
| 1910 | 3,044 | -9,004 | -74.73% |