Sterling

Population: 6,776
Median household income: $110,341
Median home value: $346,100

Located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Sterling is a community with a population of 6,776. At $110,341, its median household income sits above Kenai Peninsula Borough's $77,722.

From 2019 to 2023, Sterling's population grew 31.1% from 5,169 to 6,776, while its median home value rose 13.9% from $303,800 to $346,100.

The median resident is 45.1 years old. The largest age group is 65 to 74, 16.8% of residents.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 6,776
Median age: 45.1 yrs
Median household income: $110,341
Median home value: $346,100
Median gross rent: $1,095
Housing units: 3,883
Homeownership rate: 86.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 31.3%
Unemployment rate: 7.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

5,1696,776

Median household income

$83,889$110,341

Median home value

$303,800$346,100

Median gross rent

$951$1,095

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	5,169	$83,889	$303,800	$951
2020	5,150	$90,799	$301,900	$991
2021	6,016	$99,093	$295,700	$1,102
2022	6,307	$98,542	$332,400	$1,050
2023	6,776	$110,341	$346,100	$1,095

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.0%

5 to 1716.7%

18 to 246.7%

25 to 3410.3%

35 to 4411.1%

45 to 5411.5%

55 to 6413.6%

65 to 7416.8%

75 and over8.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	340	5.0%
5 to 17	1,129	16.7%
18 to 24	457	6.7%
25 to 34	696	10.3%
35 to 44	752	11.1%
45 to 54	777	11.5%
55 to 64	919	13.6%
65 to 74	1,135	16.8%
75 and over	571	8.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	6,202	91.5%
Black or African American	0	0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	184	2.7%
Asian	73	1.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	11	0.2%
Two or more races	182	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	124	1.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma3.5%

High school graduate27.9%

Some college or associate's37.3%

Bachelor's degree19.5%

Graduate or professional degree11.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	169	3.5%
High school graduate	1,355	27.9%
Some college or associate's	1,809	37.3%
Bachelor's degree	947	19.5%
Graduate or professional degree	570	11.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 29 min

Drove alone64.2%

Carpooled15.2%

Public transit1.1%

Walked2.2%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home12.7%

Other means4.7%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	1,736	64.2%
Carpooled	411	15.2%
Public transit	29	1.1%
Walked	59	2.2%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	343	12.7%
Other means	126	4.7%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	726	30.7%
15 to 29 min	768	32.5%
30 to 44 min	453	19.2%
45 to 59 min	147	6.2%
60+ min	267	11.3%

Households

Average household size: 2.46
Poverty rate: 5.9% (398 of 6,758)

	Count	Share
Family households	1,821	66.3%
Nonfamily households	926	33.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1993

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	2,747	70.7%
Vacant	1,136	29.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	2,363	86.0%
Renter-occupied	384	14.0%

1-unit, detached92.8%

1-unit, attached2.7%

2 to 4 units1.1%

5 to 19 units0.4%

20 or more units0.0%

Mobile home & other2.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	3,603	92.8%
1-unit, attached	106	2.7%
2 to 4 units	44	1.1%
5 to 19 units	17	0.4%
20 or more units	0	0.0%
Mobile home & other	113	2.9%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0273070
Type (LSAD): 57
Land area: 78 sq mi
Water area: 1.83 sq mi
Center point: 60.5401, -150.8053