How old are the homes in Sterling, VA?

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

43.0% (±4.9 points) of the homes in Sterling, VA were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

0.3% were built before 1940.

4.0% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 43.0% (±4.9 points)
Built before 1940: 0.3%
Built 2010 or later: 4.0%

When the homes in Sterling were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Sterling	Loudoun County	Virginia	United States
2020 or later	1.1% (±0.7 points)	2.8%	1.7%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	2.9% (±1.5 points)	23.8%	9.9%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	5.0% (±1.8 points)	30.1%	14.9%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	19.0% (±2.7 points)	20.3%	14.3%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	29.1% (±4.0 points)	10.5%	15.8%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	26.3% (±3.8 points)	6.0%	14.3%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	15.3% (±3.0 points)	2.7%	10.0%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	0.9% (±0.8 points)	1.2%	8.0%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.4%	4.2%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	0.3% (±0.4 points)	2.3%	7.0%	11.7%

In Sterling, the share of homes built before 1980 is higher than in Loudoun County (12.6%).

It is not measurably different from Virginia (43.5%).

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

In Loudoun County, Sterling ranks 5 of 28 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 293 of 464.

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 (16.7%) and the share built before 1980 (43.0%).

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	—	43.0% (±4.9 points)	—
Dulles Town Center	1.4 mi	2.7% (±2.4 points)	Lower
Oak Grove	1.6 mi	0.0% (±11.9 points)	Lower
Dranesville	2.0 mi	28.0% (±4.6 points)	Lower
Herndon	2.6 mi	42.9% (±4.4 points)	Not measurably different
Sugarland Run	2.8 mi	39.3% (±6.2 points)	Not measurably different
Hutchison	2.9 mi	39.5% (±10.8 points)	Not measurably different
Kincora	2.9 mi	0.0% (±18.1 points)	Lower
Cascades	3.1 mi	2.9% (±1.5 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Dulles Town Center, VA (2.7%), Oak Grove, VA (0.0%), Dranesville, VA (28.0%).

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

Homes built before 1980 across Loudoun County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Hillsboro	83.1% (±58.9 points)
2	Hamilton	72.5% (±16.0 points)
3	Round Hill	55.4% (±25.4 points)
4	Middleburg	48.9% (±14.6 points)
5	Sterling	43.0% (±4.9 points)
6	Sugarland Run	39.3% (±6.2 points)
7	Lovettsville	26.3% (±7.9 points)
8	Leesburg	23.7% (±3.1 points)
9	Purcellville	17.8% (±5.4 points)
10	Moorefield	9.3% (±8.5 points)
11	University Center	3.6% (±5.4 points)

Showing 11 of 28 places in Loudoun County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Sterling is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.

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

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.

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Sterling, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

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

Questions about Sterling

How old are most homes in Sterling?

43.0% of homes in Sterling, VA 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 16.7% and 43.0% 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 CDP, Virginia

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 CDP, Virginia (place:75376, in state:51).

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.