The Town FilesSterling, Kansas
City in Rice County · population 2,248 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,000
- Household income
- $54,922
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 29.4
Sterling is a city of 2,248 people in Rice County, Kansas. The median home is worth $133,000, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 99% of Kansas towns, hipper than 98% of Kansas towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $133,000, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $54,922, which is more affordable than 37% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $689 a month. 75.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $689 | $815 |
| Median household income | $54,922 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 75.6% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.8% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.4 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 29.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 18, 2025 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 121 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 13, 2000.
Severe weather in Rice County since 1996
Rice County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rice County
Rice County had 3,769 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,565 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Sterling
2 public schools with 511 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Grade School | PK-6 | 271 | 14.3 |
| Sterling Junior High/Senior High | 7-12 | 240 | 13.3 |
Towns near Sterling
- Nickerson, KS7.7 mi · 1,058 people · home $79,200
- Lyons, KS9.5 mi · 3,611 people · home $104,800
- Hutchinson, KS19.0 mi · 40,006 people · home $125,000
- South Hutchinson, KS19.2 mi · 2,521 people · home $151,000
- Ellinwood, KS22.9 mi · 2,011 people · home $109,300
- Inman, KS23.6 mi · 1,341 people · home $149,000
- Buhler, KS24.2 mi · 1,325 people · home $131,800
- Stafford, KS27.3 mi · 959 people · home $70,700
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 88% of Kansas towns and quieter than 26%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.4).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $133,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,922, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $689 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.0 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 18, 2025. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- 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)