The Town FilesSterling, Colorado
City in Logan County · population 13,735 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,400
- Household income
- $43,283
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 37.7
Sterling is a city of 13,735 people in Logan County, Colorado. The median home is worth $217,400, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Colorado towns, hipper than 74% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 73% of Colorado towns.
How Sterling 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 is worth $217,400, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $43,283, which is more affordable than 54% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,031 a month. 55.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,400 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,031 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $43,283 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 55.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 14.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.0% | 92.9% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 15.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.7 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 56 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 15, 1974 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 127 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 8, 2023.
Severe weather in Logan County since 1996
Logan County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, biological.
| 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 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Logan County
Logan County had 7,704 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,507 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Sterling
5 public schools with 1,654 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School | 9-12 | 409 | 15.7 |
| Ayres Elementary School | K-2 | 398 | 15.3 |
| Sterling Middle School | 6-8 | 371 | 19.5 |
| Campbell Elementary School | 3-5 | 365 | 18.3 |
| Hagen Early Education Center | PK-PK | 111 | 37.0 |
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 33% of Colorado towns and quieter than 38%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $217,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,283, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,031 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.2 inches of precipitation a year and 36.7 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 15, 1974. 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)