The Town FilesSterling Ranch, Colorado
Community in Douglas County · population 1,789 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $802,000
- Household income
- $206,719
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 36.9
Sterling Ranch is a community of 1,789 people in Douglas County, Colorado. The median home is worth $802,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for families than 100% of Colorado towns, more upscale than 97% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 84% of Colorado towns.
How Sterling Ranch ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling Ranch is worth $802,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $206,719, which is more affordable than 83% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling Ranch | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $802,000 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $206,719 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 2021 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sterling Ranch
| People | Sterling Ranch | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.3% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.0% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 40.4% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 92.9% |
Weather in Sterling Ranch
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 18.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.2 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling Ranch since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 19, 1985 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 159 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 18, 2003.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| January 7, 2007 | Snowstorm | EM-3270: Snow |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 147,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,978 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Sterling Ranch itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Sterling Ranch
- Roxborough Park, CO3.3 mi · 9,416 people · home $678,800
- Highlands Ranch, CO5.2 mi · 103,444 people · home $712,700
- Columbine, CO6.7 mi · 25,229 people · home $617,200
- Ken Caryl, CO6.8 mi · 33,811 people · home $600,300
- Littleton, CO6.9 mi · 45,652 people · home $630,600
- Columbine Valley, CO7.4 mi · 1,502 people · home $1,578,900
- Castle Pines Village, CO8.8 mi · 4,327 people · home $1,453,400
- Acres Green, CO9.2 mi · 2,922 people · home $580,900
Sterling Ranch questions
Is Sterling Ranch, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling Ranch scores better for retirees than 69% of Colorado towns and quieter than 63%. 7.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Sterling Ranch?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling Ranch is valued at $802,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $206,719, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling Ranch?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.2 inches of precipitation a year and 62.2 inches of snow.
Does Sterling Ranch get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling Ranch since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 19, 1985. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)