Small-town market profile · Illinois
Sterling, IL area market data
How the Sterling area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 54,121
- −2.6% since 2020
- Households
- 23,120
- Median household income
- $67,500
- +24.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $127,100
- Jobs located here
- 20,819
- Highest market score
- 77
- Primary care and pediatrics, #38 of 458 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Sterling area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Sterling area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Sterling area has an estimated 54,121 people and 23,120 households. Population estimates show the Sterling area declined 2.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Sterling area is $67,500, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 24.5%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Sterling area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (59).
Of the business types scored in the Sterling area, primary care and pediatric clinics (77), convenience stores (73) and physical therapy clinics (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #38 of 458 scored small-town markets.
The Sterling area is made up of one county, Whiteside County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (twice the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Sterling area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Sterling area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 77 | #38 of 458 | 8 | 3.5 | $3.8M | 214 | 4 |
| Convenience stores | 73 | #58 of 529 | 12 | 5.2 | $11.1M | 141 | 3 |
| Physical therapy | 71 | #49 of 400 | 7 | 3.0 | $4.3M | 181 | 5 |
| Spas and skin care | 69 | #63 of 504 | 9 | 3.9 | $2.4M | 269 | 3 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #86 of 431 | 6 | 2.6 | $4M | 159 | 3 |
| Veterinarians | 65 | #93 of 398 | 7 | 3.0 | $2.5M | 93 | 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 65 | #130 of 538 | 138 | 59.7 | $220K | 145 | 39 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 64 | #97 of 538 | 73 | 31.6 | $291K | 137 | 9 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 64 | #122 of 526 | 16 | 6.9 | $1.9M | 193 | 14 |
| Hair salons | 63 | #120 of 538 | 44 | 19.0 | $482K | 112 | 5 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 63 | #138 of 538 | 34 | 14.7 | $3.9M | 116 | 13 |
| Pet businesses | 62 | #129 of 527 | 24 | 10.4 | $740K | 84 | 3 |
| Electricians | 61 | #75 of 295 | 5 | 2.2 | $11.6M | 97 | 7 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 61 | #121 of 400 | 10 | 4.3 | $3M | 97 | 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 60 | #177 of 537 | 29 | 12.5 | $2.9M | 93 | 33 |
| Gyms | 59 | #160 of 506 | 14 | 6.1 | $1.2M | 96 | 4 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 59 | #164 of 535 | 26 | 11.2 | $672K | 101 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 58 | #172 of 506 | 11 | 4.8 | $12.1M | 130 | 10 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 56 | #227 of 536 | 45 | 19.5 | $935K | 106 | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 55 | #150 of 399 | 7 | 3.0 | $3.8M | 129 | 14 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 55 | #185 of 481 | 11 | 4.8 | $2.4M | 143 | 20 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 55 | #230 of 536 | 34 | 14.7 | $1.2M | 97 | 6 |
| Funeral homes | 54 | #152 of 365 | 9 | 3.9 | $419K | 62 | 5 |
| Nail salons | 53 | #179 of 387 | 9 | 3.9 | $2.4M | 141 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 53 | #225 of 536 | 39 | 16.9 | Index only | 181 | 12 |
| Pizza | 53 | #227 of 520 | 22 | 9.5 | $3.8M | 74 | 33 |
| Gas stations | 53 | #233 of 536 | 29 | 12.5 | $2.1M | 90 | 22 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 51 | #241 of 533 | 32 | 13.8 | Index only | 175 | 8 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 50 | #256 of 507 | 18 | 7.8 | $4.6M | 111 | 11 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 47 | #296 of 538 | 244 | 105.5 | $339K | 91 | 89 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 46 | #312 of 538 | 112 | 48.4 | $738K | 111 | 45 |
| Barbershops | 44 | #228 of 377 | 11 | 4.8 | $1.9M | 102 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 44 | #241 of 387 | 9 | 3.9 | $2.7M | 86 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 44 | #340 of 538 | 56 | 24.2 | $428K | 96 | 27 |
| Auto repair and car care | 41 | #361 of 538 | 93 | 40.2 | $257K | 96 | 44 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 41 | #361 of 529 | 26 | 11.2 | $3.2M | 86 | 11 |
| Home repair trades | 41 | #367 of 526 | 32 | 13.8 | $1.8M | 75 | 26 |
| Laundromats | 39 | #101 of 150 | 6 | 2.6 | $7M | 56 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 39 | #262 of 378 | 10 | 4.3 | $1.7M | 87 | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 35 | #226 of 288 | 8 | 3.5 | $7.3M | 86 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 35 | #310 of 387 | 11 | 4.8 | $1.6M | 63 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 32 | #357 of 441 | 11 | 4.8 | $2.2M | 86 | 12 |
| Child care and preschools | 30 | #381 of 454 | 16 | 6.9 | $494K | 49 | 11 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 30 | #426 of 476 | 19 | 8.2 | $3.1M | 64 | 19 |
| Chiropractors | 23 | #413 of 426 | 25 | 10.8 | $1.2M | 51 | 13 |
| Insurance agencies | 15 | #514 of 537 | 43 | 18.6 | $877K | 70 | 30 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 8 | 3.5 | $3M | 22 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | Index only | 195 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | $8.8M | 86 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | $5.9M | 131 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $8.7M | Too few | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $26.4M | Too few | 6 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Sterling area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $23.9M | $1,036 | 108 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $62M | $2,681 | 103 |
| Food away from home | $82.7M | $3,576 | 88 |
| Groceries | $133.3M | $5,763 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $21.2M | $918 | 91 |
| Child care and other personal services | $7.9M | $342 | 59 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $17.5M | $755 | 77 |
| Medical and dental services | $30.4M | $1,316 | 102 |
| Pets | $17.8M | $768 | 84 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $42.1M | $1,819 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $37.7M | $1,632 | 83 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $58M | $2,511 | 83 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $26.4M | $1,144 | 81 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $305M | $13,192 | 79 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Sterling area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 54,121−2.6% since 2020
- Households
- 23,120
- Median age
- 43.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 684 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 80
- Median household income
- $67,500+24.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $86,592
- Median home value
- $127,100
- Jobs located here
- 20,819
- Daytime population
- 50,543Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Sterling area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Sterling area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Sterling area 1
- Whiteside County, IL54,947 people
Other markets based in Illinois 12
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area9,371,595 people
- Peoria, IL metro area365,202 people
- Rockford, IL metro area336,522 people
- Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area238,842 people
- Springfield, IL metro area207,042 people
- Bloomington, IL metro area171,556 people
- Kankakee, IL metro area106,635 people
- Decatur, IL metro area101,849 people
- Ottawa, IL area147,181 people
- Quincy, IL-MO area74,678 people
- Danville, IL area72,386 people
- Marion-Herrin, IL area66,876 people
Questions
How fast is the Sterling, IL area growing?
Population estimates put the Sterling area at 54,121 people in 2025, down 2.6% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 23,120 households. Median household income rose 24.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Sterling, IL area spend?
Households in the Sterling area spend about $305M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $133.3M on groceries and $82.7M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Sterling area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Sterling, IL area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Sterling area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (77), convenience stores (73) and physical therapy clinics (71). The Sterling area ranks #38 of 458 scored small-town markets for primary care and pediatric clinics.
How does the Sterling, IL area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Sterling area is $67,500 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $127,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Sterling area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (twice the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 46 of the 56 business types have a score in the Sterling area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Sterling area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Sterling area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Sterling area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.