Sterling Congregational Church · National Register of Historic Places
Sterling Township’s story
164 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1862Sterling Township is settled
Sterling TownshipMN
A town of 235, settled in 1862.
5 bordering townsMap →
Sterling Congregational Church · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
235
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Median home value
$273K
Census ACS
Household income
$111K
median
Median age
52.0
years
Jobs based here
35
A commuter town
Is Sterling Township a good place to live?
Sterling Township’s mean commuting time is 35 minutes, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 4 have a higher share of residents 65 or older than Sterling Township. Sterling Congregational Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sterling Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
235 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Mapleton TownshipShelby TownshipLyra TownshipDelavan TownshipWinnebago City TownshipSterling Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sterling Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sterling Township, and how to reach them.
PowerBENCO Electric Cooperative16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sterling Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBlue Earth County ElectionsBlue Earth County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes56010, 5606556010 59% · 56065 41%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Sterling Township.
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents in Sterling Township work locally than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
1.8% of Sterling Township residents live below the poverty line, below both Minnesota’s towns (7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Since 2013, Sterling Township has added 24 jobs, to 35 in 2023. The income of the median household locally is $111,000. The top destinations are Mankato (28%), North Mankato (13%) and Mapleton (12%).
1%work in town
| Sterling Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1.8% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $111,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sterling Township1%
Mankato28%
North Mankato13%
Mapleton12%
South Bend Township3%
19 mi
median commute distance
35
jobs based in Sterling Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Sterling Township stands out in Minnesota and nationally: the median age there is higher
Since 2020, Sterling Township has lost 2.9% of its people, to 235 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. People 65 and older are 30% of residents (17% statewide); children under 18 are 10% of residents (23% statewide). The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 34%, against 39% across Minnesota.
52median age · MN 38.8
| Sterling Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 33% | 29% |
Sterling TownshipMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
22%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school37%
Some college15%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.1 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Sterling Township | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.4% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 20.5% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.7% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.1% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.4% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.1% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 21.6% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.3% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.8% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.5% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.3% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.9% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.3% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
The climate in Sterling Township brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
The range runs from 7° on a January night to 83° on a July afternoon, with about 47 inches of snow a winter.
47″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–58°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Sterling Township has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in Sterling Township than in 61% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 38% come from inland flooding and 23% from cold waves. Federal aid has come to Sterling Township households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Sterling Township is
29% of adults feel lonely in Sterling Township. Sterling Township: 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Sterling Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 75% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better25 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Sterling Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.4% | 5.9% |
| More adults with arthritis | 26.9% | 22.3% |
United Hospital District
18 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 1.5% of Sterling Township
The biggest park or preserve is Daly Park & Campground, at 46 acres. Across 2 parks and preserves: 0.6 miles of trail. Parks and preserves in Sterling Township: 2, covering 120 acres.
1.5%conserved
1.5%
conserved · 350 of 22,902 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Daly Park & Campground | 0.6 mi | 46 |
| 2. George & Elizabeth Lange Wildlife Management Area | — | 74 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sterling Township
17pages on Sterling Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sterling Township; the nearest are
Minnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato17.8 mi$9,572 in-state tuitionSouth Central CollegeCommunity college · Public · North Mankato19.4 mi$6,146 in-state tuition
College town 16 of every 100 Sterling Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Sterling Township for work
Where Sterling Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
35jobs based in Sterling Township
1%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sterling Township
Township in Minnesota, United States
Sterling Township is a township in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 276 as of the 2000 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,004 ft
Questions about Sterling Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sterling Township, MN a good place to live?
Sterling Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.