Housing data for Sterling, MA
Sterling, MA has an estimated 8,183 residents and 3,309 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in Worcester County.
13.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,699 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+1.1%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 8,183 (±23)
- Housing units
- 3,309 (±272)
- Households that rent
- 13.7%
- Median gross rent
- $1,699
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +1.1%
What stands out in Sterling
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 3.7% (±3.0 points) in Sterling, lower than in Worcester County (16.9%).
Households that rent: 13.7% (±4.0 points) in Sterling, lower than in Worcester County (34.2%).
Homes heated by fuel oil: 66.1% (±8.4 points) in Sterling, higher than in Worcester County (37.9%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 7.6% (±4.2 points) in Sterling, lower than in Worcester County (20.7%).
Housing in Sterling at a glance
- Median rent: $1,699 median gross rent a month
- Rent burden: 46.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 13.7% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $129,063 median household income
- Home values: $498,800 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,585 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $6,757 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 3.7% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 73.7% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 49.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 3.4% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 66.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene
- Commute and cars: 34.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 72 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +1.1% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 7.6% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 1.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Sterling against Worcester County, its state and the nation
| Sterling | Worcester County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,183 (±23) | 867,788 (exact) | 7,044,056 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 3,309 (±272) | 355,185 (±112) | 3,030,406 (±453) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 13.7% (±4.0 points) | 34.2% (±0.5 points) | 37.5% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,699 (±$161) | $1,426 (±$19) | $1,762 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $129,063 (±$26,765) | $95,939 (±$1,131) | $103,960 (±$527) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $498,800 (±$47,747) | $423,700 (±$3,371) | $562,100 (±$2,169) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $6,757 (±$516) | $5,438 (±$56) | $5,992 (±$18) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 49.9% (±11.1 points) | 63.8% (±1.0 points) | 67.4% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 34.3 minutes (±7.8) | 29.2 minutes (±0.4) | 29.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 97.0% (±2.5 points) | 92.9% (±0.4 points) | 92.8% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 51.5 years (±1.8) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 40.0 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Sterling covers 30.6 square miles of land, about 267 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Sterling has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,091 (±18) | 8,183 (±23) | +1.1% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 2,920 (±194) | 3,309 (±272) | +13.3% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,304 (±$166) | $1,699 (±$161) | +30.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $360,000 (±$14,645) | $498,800 (±$47,747) | +38.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $121,458 (±$18,714) | $129,063 (±$26,765) | +6.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,997 (±$153) | $2,585 (±$185) | +29.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $5,133 (±$387) | $6,757 (±$516) | +31.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 9.5% (±4.0 points) | 13.7% (±4.0 points) | +4.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% (±12.4 points) | 3.4% (±6.0 points) | +3.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Sterling
In 2025, the Sterling Police Department reported 72 violent and 107 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Worcester County, the departments that report recorded 305 violent and 791 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Sterling
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01564 | 100% | 8,183 | $1,699 | $498,800 | $129,063 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Sterling
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lancaster | 4.1 mi | $1,893 | $421,400 | 25.7% |
| Clinton (community) | 5.0 mi | $1,415 | $375,600 | 52.1% |
| Clinton | 5.0 mi | $1,402 | $387,300 | 45.3% |
| Leominster | 5.0 mi | $1,354 | $380,400 | 37.7% |
| Princeton | 5.2 mi | $897 | $520,500 | 5.7% |
| West Boylston | 5.4 mi | $1,261 | $440,000 | 22.1% |
| Lancaster | 5.7 mi | $2,338 | $519,100 | 14.9% |
| Boylston | 7.1 mi | $2,032 | $578,600 | 20.8% |
Places in Massachusetts most like Sterling
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Bridgewater | $1,981 | $510,200 | $133,853 | 16.9% |
| Groveland | $1,825 | $610,900 | $141,487 | 9.7% |
| Halifax | $1,804 | $481,500 | $118,556 | 4.5% |
| Lakeville | $1,884 | $565,900 | $133,984 | 16.5% |
| Millville | $1,468 | $444,600 | $127,188 | 13.1% |
| Hanson | $1,821 | $533,900 | $132,200 | 11.0% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Massachusetts.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Sterling, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,577 | $1,587 | $2,043 | $2,560 | $2,915 |
HUD income limits for Sterling, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $27,650 | $46,100 | $73,750 |
| 2 people | $31,600 | $52,700 | $84,300 |
| 3 people | $35,550 | $59,300 | $94,850 |
| 4 people | $39,500 | $65,850 | $105,350 |
| 5 people | $42,700 | $71,150 | $113,800 |
| 6 people | $45,850 | $76,400 | $122,250 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $81,700 | $130,650 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $86,950 | $139,100 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $130,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Sterling
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
Own or manage a rental?
List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Sterling beside you.
Create a landlord account · See what landlords get
Looking for a place to rent?
Browse homes for rent near Sterling, save the ones you like and apply online.
Browse rentals · Create a renter account
Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?
Get found by owners and renters near Sterling, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.
Questions about Sterling
What is the average rent in Sterling, MA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Sterling is $1,699 (±$161) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How many renters are there in Sterling?
Sterling has an estimated 448 (±121) renting households, 13.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Sterling?
The median household income in Sterling is $129,063 (±$26,765) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Sterling, MA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $498,800 (±$47,747) for owner-occupied homes in Sterling (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Sterling?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Sterling, MA is $2,585 (±$185) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Sterling?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Sterling, MA is $6,757 (±$516) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Sterling growing?
In Sterling, the number of residents went from 8,091 in 2015–2019 to 8,183 in 2020–2024 (+1.1%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Sterling?
The ZIP code that covers Sterling is 01564.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 01564?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 01564 is $1,699 (±$161) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Sterling town, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Sterling Police Department (ORI MA0144700)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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 town, Worcester County, Massachusetts (county subdivision:67385, in state:25 county:027).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .