A town of 14,717, settled in 1838. Nearly 3.6% of it is conserved land.
The 3 things Sterling does most differently from other towns.
Paul FloryWhat neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Nothing on the calendar.
Ordered by what stands out in Sterling. Another town gets a different order.
2.8 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kilgour Park | 0.5 mi | 13 |
| 2. Platt Park | 0.5 mi | 8 |
| 3. Gartner Park | — | 36 |
About one in 3 of Sterling’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Sterling (13%), Dixon (8%) and Rock Falls (5%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
The median sale price was $138,000 in May 2026.
Sterling beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
| What stands out | Sterling | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.9% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.2% | 6.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.5% | 5.9% |
Sterling has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
Sterling's reported crime rate is below Illinois's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 37 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 44% of U.S. communities.
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 2 places on the National Register.
2 places in Sterling on the National Register of Historic Places.
38 notable people were born in Sterling.
City in Illinois, United States
Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States, along the Rock River. The population was 14,782 at the 2020 census, down from 15,370 in 2010. Formerly nicknamed "The Heart of American Hardware," the city has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel industry.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Sterling.
