The Town FilesSterling City, Texas
City in Sterling County · population 1,121 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $134,800
- Household income
- $66,615
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 29.9
Sterling City is a city of 1,121 people in Sterling County, Texas. The median home is worth $134,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Texas towns, better for families than 94% of Texas towns, quieter than 85% of Texas towns.
How Sterling City ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling City is worth $134,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $66,615, which is more affordable than 80% of Texas towns. Median rent is $952 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $952 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $66,615 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 77.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.0% | — |
Who lives in Sterling City
| People | Sterling City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 35.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sterling City
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 29.9°F. About 20.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 104 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling City since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 19, 1972 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 1982.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 31, 2005.
Severe weather in Sterling County since 1996
Sterling County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sterling County
Sterling County had 501 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,753 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Sterling City itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Sterling City
2 public schools with 348 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| STERLING CITY SCHOOL | PK-12 | 347 | 12.0 |
| STERLING CITY/VERIBEST SPECIAL PROGRAMS | PK-PK | 1 | — |
Towns near Sterling City
- Carlsbad, TX25.7 mi · 622 people · home $74,600
- Robert Lee, TX29.6 mi · 1,027 people · home $65,000
Sterling City questions
Is Sterling City, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling City scores better for retirees than 57% of Texas towns and quieter than 85%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.9).
How much does a house cost in Sterling City?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling City is valued at $134,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,615, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $952 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling City?
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 29.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.4 inches of precipitation a year and 1.5 inches of snow.
Does Sterling City get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 19, 1972. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)