Sterling Methodist Church · National Register of Historic Places
Sterling Township’s story
146 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1880Sterling Township is settled
Sterling TownshipSD
A town of 430, settled in 1880.
5 bordering townsMap →
Sterling Methodist Church · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
430
2025 Census estimate · +8.9% since 2020
Median home value
$559K
Census ACS
Household income
$144K
median
Median age
51.5
years
Jobs based here
9
A commuter town
Is Sterling Township a good place to live?
Sterling Township has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Sterling Methodist Church and Joseph Baker House. Sterling Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
430 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
BruceBrookings TownshipAfton TownshipOakwood TownshipEureka 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.
PowerSioux Valley SW Elec Coop13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBrookings-Deuel Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sterling Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsBrookings School District 05-1Sioux Valley School District 05-52 districts serve Sterling Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBrookings County AuditorBrookings County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP codes57006, 5722057006 80% · 57220 20%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Sterling Township.
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than South Dakota overall
For Sterling Township, the midpoint age is 51.5 years. Adults 35 to 64 are 64% of residents (36% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 6% of residents (22% statewide). Also worth knowing: among adults 25 and older locally, 24% hold a bachelor’s degree or more. The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Sterling Township at 430 residents, up 8.9% since 2020.
51.5median age · SD 38
| Sterling Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 33% | 29% |
Sterling TownshipSouth DakotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
39%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school44%
Some college17%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate0%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 8% and 69% women
The Census survey reached too few of Sterling Township’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±30.4 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Sterling Township | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.3% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.8% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.3% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 38.6% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.5% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.6% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 0% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 44.3% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.3% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.9% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.5% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 0% | 10% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commute
In Sterling Township, the median household income runs higher than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
0.5% of working residents work locally in Sterling Township, against 29% in South Dakota’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. For Sterling Township, the average trip to work is 16 minutes. The median commute is under 9 miles. The top destinations are Brookings (46%), Sioux Falls (11%) and Volga (9%).
0%work in town
| Sterling Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $144,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.5% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Sterling Township0%
Brookings46%
Sioux Falls11%
Volga9%
Madison3%
9 mi
median commute distance
9
jobs based in Sterling Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Sterling Township
Sterling Township’s typical July afternoon high is 82°F.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–26°
Spring32–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall35–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sterling Township is
For adults in Sterling Township, the share who report frequent mental distress is 15%. 21% of adults binge drink here, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 19% and U.S. towns at 16%. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Sterling Township. In Sterling Township, 28% of adults have high blood pressure, and 11% report frequent physical distress.
| Sterling Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 25% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
14 better12 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Sterling Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.3% | 12.7% |
| Fewer smokers | 11.5% | 15.2% |
Brookings Health System
7.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Sterling Township: inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 1.3% of Sterling Township
1.7 miles of trail. Among 33 South Dakota towns, just one has a lower trail network density than Sterling Township.
1.3%conserved
| Sterling Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 3.3% | 4.3% |
1.3%
conserved · 294 of 22,519 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
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
2 within 15 miles of the center of Sterling Township
South Dakota State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Brookings6.4 mi$9,299 in-state tuitionInstitute of Lutheran TheologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Brookings6.9 mi
About 3 of every 100 Sterling Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Sterling Township for work
Where Sterling Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
9jobs based in Sterling Township
0%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Sterling Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sterling Township, SD a good place to live?
Sterling Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.