SterlingMI
A town of 451, settled in 1883.
Is Sterling a good place to live?
16% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sterling, below both the Michigan town median (26%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Sterling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
451 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Sterling: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sterling, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Sterling.
The typical home in Sterling is valued at about $172K
The typical Sterling home is worth about $172,000, up 7.5% in a year, 35% below the Michigan typical home. Sterling’s median rent is $775 a month, below both Michigan’s towns ($1,046 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 88% of Sterling households own their home.
| Sterling | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $775 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 88% | 84% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Sterling, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Sterling has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Sterling is 82°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents commute out of Sterling
Most working residents leave Sterling for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Sterling fell to 196 in 2021, 56 fewer than in 2011. Sterling’s median household income is $62,000.
| Sterling | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 7.3% | 10% | 11% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Low risk in Sterling, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
How healthy Sterling is
Sterling beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 20% of adults report frequent mental distress in Sterling.
| Sterling | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 36% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 19% |
| What stands out | Sterling | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.7% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 8.1% |
| More adults in frequent physical distress | 16.1% | 14% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Sterling
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sterling; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Sterling residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
About Sterling
Village in Michigan, United States
Sterling is a village in Arenac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 474 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Deep River Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 748 ft
- ZIP code
- 48659
Questions about Sterling
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sterling, MI a good place to live?
Sterling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.