What kinds of homes are in Sterling, IL?

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

Sterling, IL has 7,393 (±249) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,243 homes per square mile of land.

70.9% are detached single-family houses.

14.0% are in buildings of two to four units.

12.9% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 7,393 (±249)
Detached houses: 70.9%
2–4 unit buildings: 14.0%
5+ unit buildings: 12.9%

Homes in Sterling by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Sterling	Whiteside County	Illinois	United States
Single-family, detached	70.9% (±3.4 points)	81.5%	58.2%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	1.5% (±0.6 points)	1.9%	6.1%	6.2%
2 units	9.5% (±3.1 points)	3.9%	5.2%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	4.5% (±1.6 points)	3.6%	6.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	4.4% (±1.3 points)	2.5%	6.3%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	1.3% (±0.9 points)	1.0%	4.0%	4.3%
20 or more units	7.2% (±2.0 points)	3.0%	11.5%	10.3%
Mobile home	0.0% (±0.5 points)	2.3%	2.3%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.7% (±0.6 points)	0.2%	0.0%	0.1%

In Sterling, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is higher than in Whiteside County (6.5%).

It is also lower than in Illinois (21.8%).

It is lower than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Sterling

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Sterling
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Sterling	—	12.9% (±2.5 points)	—
Sterling Township	1.1 mi	11.5% (±2.3 points)	Not measurably different
Rock Falls	1.9 mi	8.4% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Coloma Township	2.0 mi	7.4% (±2.7 points)	Lower
Nelson	4.6 mi	0.0% (±65.5 points)	Not measurably different
Jordan Township	5.5 mi	0.0% (±19.2 points)	Not measurably different
Hopkins Township	5.8 mi	0.8% (±6.1 points)	Lower
Montmorency Township	6.4 mi	0.4% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Nelson Township	6.4 mi	0.0% (±14.4 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Rock Falls, IL (8.4%), Coloma Township, IL (7.4%), Hopkins Township, IL (0.8%).

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

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Whiteside County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	Sterling	12.9% (±2.5 points)
2	Sterling Township	11.5% (±2.3 points)
3	Prophetstown	9.8% (±4.9 points)
4	Fulton Township	8.8% (±4.9 points)
5	Fulton	8.7% (±5.5 points)
6	Rock Falls	8.4% (±3.2 points)
7	Coloma Township	7.4% (±2.7 points)

Showing 7 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 many homes are in Sterling?

Sterling, IL has an estimated 7,393 (±249) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Sterling houses or apartments?

70.9% are detached houses and 1.5% attached houses, while 26.9% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Sterling?

14.0% of homes in Sterling are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

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_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.