The Town FilesSterling, New York
Town in Cayuga County · population 3,221 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $141,200
- Household income
- $59,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 134 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 51.6
Sterling is a town of 3,221 people in Cayuga County, New York. The median home is worth $141,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 88% of New York towns, more of a college town than 81% of New York towns, better for retirees than 73% of New York towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $141,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $59,750, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. Median rent is $681 a month. 90.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $681 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $59,750 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 24.7% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 14.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 133.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EFU, struck on July 10, 2024 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 16, 2022.
Severe weather in Cayuga County since 1996
Cayuga County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| November 14, 2017 | Flood | DR-4348: Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Cayuga County
Cayuga County had 24,605 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,623 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Towns near Sterling
- Hannibal, NY5.5 mi · 4,525 people · home $137,100
- Wolcott, NY6.1 mi · 4,002 people · home $87,500
- Oswego, NY8.0 mi · 7,914 people · home $175,100
- Granby, NY11.0 mi · 6,520 people · home $130,000
- SUNY Oswego, NY11.4 mi · 3,451 people · home —
- Fulton, NY12.0 mi · 11,389 people · home $101,000
- Oswego, NY12.6 mi · 16,921 people · home $120,600
- Volney, NY14.9 mi · 5,671 people · home $149,200
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 73% of New York towns and quieter than 73%. 27.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.6).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $141,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,750, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $681 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 133.5 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EFU on July 10, 2024. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)