Sterling, Utah Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 281, Sterling's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Sterling is a small community located in Utah, within Sanpete County. The total population is 281. It ranks as the 274th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Utah.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sterling is 37.0 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 32.0 years. With 34.9% of the population under 18, Sterling has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sterling is $66,359. This is 30% lower than the state median of $95,166. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.9%. This is 76% higher than the state poverty rate of 8.5%. The unemployment rate is 8.9%. This is 150% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $243,800. Housing costs are 50% lower than the state median of $489,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 86.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 70.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sterling has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 15.9%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.4%.

Education

10.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 73% lower than the state rate of 37.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sterling, Utah is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Utah state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 326 Census-designated places in Utah. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.