How old are the homes in Sterling, IL?

Name: Age of homes in Sterling, IL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

81.6% (±7.1 points) of the homes in Sterling, IL were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

25.2% were built before 1940.

2.5% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 81.6% (±7.1 points)
Built before 1940: 25.2%
Built 2010 or later: 2.5%

When the homes in Sterling were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Sterling	Whiteside County	Illinois	United States
2020 or later	0.0% (±0.5 points)	0.3%	0.7%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	2.5% (±1.4 points)	3.3%	5.0%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	5.3% (±1.7 points)	6.0%	11.2%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	5.8% (±2.5 points)	6.7%	10.5%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	4.8% (±1.6 points)	6.2%	9.2%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	13.5% (±3.0 points)	17.2%	14.2%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	11.5% (±2.6 points)	12.1%	11.5%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	21.3% (±3.8 points)	15.8%	11.9%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	10.1% (±2.3 points)	7.2%	5.6%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	25.2% (±3.8 points)	25.3%	20.2%	11.7%

In Sterling, the share of homes built before 1980 is not measurably different from Whiteside County (77.6%).

It is also higher than in Illinois (63.4%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Whiteside County, Sterling ranks 10 of 33 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 619 of 2,751.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (68.1%) and the share built before 1980 (81.6%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Sterling

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Sterling
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Sterling	—	81.6% (±7.1 points)	—
Sterling Township	1.1 mi	80.4% (±6.6 points)	Not measurably different
Rock Falls	1.9 mi	84.3% (±9.1 points)	Not measurably different
Coloma Township	2.0 mi	83.2% (±7.8 points)	Not measurably different
Nelson	4.6 mi	86.0% (±28.0 points)	Not measurably different
Jordan Township	5.5 mi	65.8% (±20.4 points)	Not measurably different
Hopkins Township	5.8 mi	75.5% (±16.0 points)	Not measurably different
Montmorency Township	6.4 mi	69.5% (±11.5 points)	Not measurably different
Nelson Township	6.4 mi	73.1% (±17.3 points)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Whiteside County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
4	Morrison	86.3% (±13.6 points)
5	Tampico Township	85.6% (±16.5 points)
6	Rock Falls	84.3% (±9.1 points)
7	Mount Pleasant Township	83.7% (±11.4 points)
8	Coloma Township	83.2% (±7.8 points)
9	Prophetstown	82.3% (±11.0 points)
10	Sterling	81.6% (±7.1 points)
11	Sterling Township	80.4% (±6.6 points)
12	Ustick Township	79.2% (±34.7 points)
13	Prophetstown Township	78.7% (±9.8 points)
14	Fulton	77.7% (±13.6 points)
15	Lyndon Township	77.0% (±19.6 points)
16	Hopkins Township	75.5% (±16.0 points)

Showing 13 of 33 places in Whiteside County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Sterling

How old are most homes in Sterling?

81.6% of homes in Sterling, IL were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Sterling need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 68.1% and 81.6% of homes in Sterling were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Sterling?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling city, Illinois

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Sterling city, Illinois (place:72546, in state:17).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.