The Town FilesSterling, Wisconsin
Town in Polk County · population 724 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,100
- Household income
- $61,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 51.6
Sterling is a town of 724 people in Polk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $207,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Wisconsin towns, better for cycling than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $207,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $61,875, which is more affordable than 43% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $919 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $919 | $951 |
| Median household income | $61,875 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 26.9% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 39.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows -0.1°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 21, 1957 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 9, 1961.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 16,162 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,798 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Towns near Sterling
- Amador, MN6.9 mi · 842 people · home $402,100
- Sunrise, MN7.0 mi · 2,107 people · home $394,700
- Laketown, WI8.1 mi · 1,024 people · home $234,900
- Rushseba, MN9.8 mi · 815 people · home $300,800
- Eureka, WI9.8 mi · 1,737 people · home $300,400
- Trade Lake, WI10.1 mi · 904 people · home $253,700
- Harris, MN10.8 mi · 1,111 people · home $306,000
- Rush City, MN11.1 mi · 3,228 people · home $233,100
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 60% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 89%. 22.0% 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 $207,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,875, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $919 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows -0.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 52.3 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 21, 1957. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)