Sterling City, TX downtown IMG 1415 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0City Hall at Sterling City, TX IMG 1412 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0Windmill at courthouse, Sterling City, TX IMG 1404 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY 3.0Wind turbines south of Sterling City, TX IMG 1400 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY 3.0
Sterling City is a small town of 1,135 in Texas, with a median household income of $64,471
.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Sterling City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Sterling City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Sterling City city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.9
Sterling City's overall cost of living index is 90.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Sterling City costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Sterling City, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$107,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$882
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
90.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$64,471
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Sterling City's violent crime rate is 77.5 per 100,000 residents
— 80% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
77.5 /100k
Property Crime
697.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Sterling City is served primarily by STERLING CITY ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Sterling City, TX
National Avg
School District
STERLING CITY ISD
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
3
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
19.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Sterling City sees average highs of 57.5°F in January
and 93.5°F in July,
with 20.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 1.5 inches of snow per year.
Sterling City's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Sterling City roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $107,600 and median rent is $882/month.
Sterling City's violent crime rate is 77.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 697.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Sterling City are operated by STERLING CITY ISD.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 3 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1. 19.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sterling City, TX has a population of 1,135, a median household income of $64,471, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Sterling City averages 57.5°F in January and 93.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 20.4 inches
with about 1.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Sterling City, TX is covered by 1 ZIP code: 76951.
The population of Sterling City, Texas is 1,135 with a median age of 29.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Sterling City: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $107,600, median household income $64,471, crime index 26 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sterling City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
