Sterling spent less per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar cities
Sterling’s village government spent $254,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $510 per resident.
What stands out about how Sterling is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$510 per resident in 2022: less than 88% of them
Sterling’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($510 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 291 Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,081, and the middle half spent $751–$1,663. Sterling spent less than 88% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($39,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Sterling itself left out).
About $510 per resident a year, or $1.40 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 42%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Sterling reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,550 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.74% of the home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Sterling’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Sterling’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Sterling →
Who’s in charge in Sterling
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Standish-Sterling Community School District
Sterling’s K–12 school district, shared with Adams Township, Deep River Township, Lincoln Township, Moffatt Township, Omer and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,482 per pupil, $7,935 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Sterling’s votes are counted by county
Michigan reports official results by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Sterling alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Arenac County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican69.7%6,379 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat29.1%2,662 votesOthers: 1.3% (117 votes).
Most votes in Arenac County: Donald J Trump
Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
100% of Sterling lies in Arenac County. Every 2024 race in Arenac County is on the county’s page.
Arenac County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Sterling.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Michigan HouseState representatives
- 3Michigan SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Michigan
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Sterling’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Sterling’s government
How much does Sterling spend per resident?
About $510 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $510 was less than 88% of 291 Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Sterling?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,550 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.74% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the village’s assessor.
Who runs Sterling’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Sterling yet.
How did Sterling vote in 2024?
Michigan counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Sterling alone. Arenac County, where 100% of Sterling lies, voted Trump 69.7%, Harris 29.1% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Sterling?
0 full-time and 9 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,695 (about $32,340 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Sterling in the state legislature?
State Senate District 36 (Michele Hoitenga) and State House District 99 (Mike Hoadley). The House district also covers 69 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Sterling’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →