The Town FilesSterling, Virginia
Community in Loudoun County · population 30,337 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $526,000
- Household income
- $123,303
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 35.3
Sterling is a community of 30,337 people in Loudoun County, Virginia. The median home is worth $526,000, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more walkable than 93% of Virginia towns, more vibrant than 93% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 84% of Virginia towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $526,000, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $123,303, which is more affordable than 30% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $2,138 a month. 71.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $526,000 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $2,138 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $123,303 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.8% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.2% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 46.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 91.8% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.0 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 7.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 110 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on July 2, 1968.
Severe weather in Loudoun County since 1996
Loudoun County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| March 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4262: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Loudoun County
Loudoun County had 198,113 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,788 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Sterling
19 public schools with 13,043 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion High | PK-12 | 1,482 | 10.6 |
| Park View High | 9-12 | 1,440 | 9.5 |
| River Bend Middle | 6-8 | 1,201 | 12.4 |
| Elaine E. Thompson Elementary | PK-5 | 1,018 | 15.9 |
| Sterling Middle | 6-8 | 947 | 9.6 |
| Seneca Ridge Middle | 6-8 | 868 | 11.4 |
| Countryside Elementary | PK-5 | 641 | 12.1 |
| Potowmack Elementary | PK-5 | 582 | 12.4 |
| Lowes Island Elementary | PK-5 | 541 | 14.6 |
| Guilford Elementary | PK-5 | 538 | 10.5 |
| Forest Grove Elementary | PK-5 | 537 | 9.8 |
| Rolling Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 516 | 9.9 |
Towns near Sterling
- Dulles Town Center, VA1.4 mi · 5,909 people · home $606,500
- Dranesville, VA2.0 mi · 11,785 people · home $744,500
- Herndon, VA2.6 mi · 24,655 people · home $599,100
- Sugarland Run, VA2.8 mi · 12,345 people · home $576,700
- Hutchison, VA2.9 mi · 6,231 people · home $476,900
- Cascades, VA3.1 mi · 12,366 people · home $671,100
- Countryside, VA3.3 mi · 10,418 people · home $630,200
- McNair, VA3.7 mi · 21,598 people · home $595,800
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 6% of Virginia towns and quieter than 9%. 11.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $526,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,303, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $2,138 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.0 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. The typical Virginia 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)