The Town FilesSterling, Georgia
Community in Glynn County · population 2,534 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $86,103
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 34.8
Sterling is a community of 2,534 people in Glynn County, Georgia. It ranks quieter than 77% of Georgia towns, more upscale than 72% of Georgia towns, better transit than 71% of Georgia towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $919 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $919 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $86,103 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.8% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.4% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 88.0% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 44.0°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 30, 2023 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 30, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2006.
Severe weather in Glynn County since 1996
Glynn County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607: Hurricane Debby |
| September 7, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4738: Hurricane Idalia |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Glynn County
Glynn County had 42,456 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,989 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Sterling
- Dock Junction, GA4.7 mi · 8,266 people · home $143,700
- Country Club Estates, GA6.6 mi · 8,373 people · home $168,800
- Brunswick, GA10.1 mi · 15,210 people · home $155,900
- St. Simons, GA11.4 mi · 14,982 people · home $555,600
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 52% of Georgia towns and quieter than 77%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 44.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 30, 2023. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- 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)