Photo: KWayne1 · CC BY-SA 4.0254 homes sold in Sterling Township in the last year, at a typical $139K
Redfin reports Sterling Township’s sales by ZIP code, so these figures are for ZIP 61081, which takes in Sterling Township and the area around it. Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Sterling Township homes are listed.
Every place Sterling Township homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Sterling Township.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 94% of Sterling Township’s sales, at a typical $131K (year to May 2026)
254 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
typical sale · 227 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $101IL $180
- Days to sell
- 51
- Sold over asking
- 29%
Condos: 3 sold, typical $167K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
More homes sell than most years, at 1.7 times the 2016 price
254 sales in the last year, against 276 in 2022 and a low of 14 in 2020. The typical sale went from $82K in 2016 to $139K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; for ZIP 61081, which takes in Sterling Township and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $150K buys in Sterling Township
Check a listing against what Sterling Township homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Sterling Township are more common than before the pandemic, and more homes are for sale
We read every month of home sales in ZIP 61081 since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 254 sales.
If you’re buying in Sterling Township
- Shop in May. It brings about 18 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (22% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 97.1% of the list price on average; 30% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. Half of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Summer brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
July has the most new listings (about 21 a month), but August is the most competitive: 32% of August sales close over asking. May and June offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (22%). February has the least competition (14%) but only about 12 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than Illinois
| Sterling Township now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IL now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 30% | 10% | 34% | 36% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 53% | 3% | 51% | 45% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 97.1% | 93.3% | 97.3% | 99% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 49 | 155 | 26 | 51 |
52 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 7.8 times the 2019 low (7), 97% more than in 2017–19 and well under 2015’s 151.
Source: Redfin Data Center, ZIP code tracker; for ZIP 61081, which takes in Sterling Township and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3), January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Sterling Township home costs about $993 a month
Price: Sterling Township’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Sterling Township’s 2.3% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Sterling Township is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Five things worth knowing
New listings in July
The month with the most choice. February has the fewest, about 12.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $139K home, about $3,210 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Sterling Township.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Sterling, Rock Falls, Polo and Morrison sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Sterling Township, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Township (ZIP 61081) | 254 | $139K | $105 | 30% | 49 |
| Sterling | 194 | $128K | $98 | 33% | 49 |
| Dixon | 170 | $163K | $117 | 26% | 44 |
| Rock Falls | 101 | $120K | $99 | 29% | 43 |
| Morrison | 68 | $132K | $90 | 30% | 78 |
| Polo | 30 | $149K | $87 | 26% | 32 |
| Prophetstown | 26 | $158K | $113 | 27% | 58 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Sterling Township, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Sterling Township. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Sterling Township with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Sterling Township
What do homes sell for in Sterling Township, IL?
254 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $139K, $105 a square foot.
Is Sterling Township a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 60 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 23 sold, about 2.5 months of supply. Buyers paid 97.1% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Sterling Township?
July brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Sterling Township?
About 2.3% of a home’s value a year. On a $139K home that’s near $3,210.
Where can I see homes for sale in Sterling Township?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Sterling Township’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Sterling Township.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; for ZIP 61081, which takes in Sterling Township and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3)). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).