Sterling is a Republican stronghold. About 14% of voters here vote Democratic and 86% Republican.
About 66% of adults in Sterling typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sterling, ~9% vote Democratic, ~57% Republican, and ~34% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Sterling compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Sterling leans more Republican than 16 of 17 neighbors.
Sterling runs about 36 points more Republican than Idaho as a whole.
Why Sterling leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Sterling. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Never-married share, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine a low never-married share and a rural land-use pattern tend to turn out at a higher rate, as Sterling, ID does.
Why turnout in Sterling looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Sterling is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Springfield, ID R+72
- Aberdeen, ID R+47
- Pingree, ID R+72
- Arbon Valley, ID R+61
- Gibson, ID D+25
- Rockford, ID R+72
- Thomas, ID R+53
- Fort Hall, ID D+30
- Chubbuck, ID R+37
- Taber, ID R+75
Cities with Similar Populations
- Kamalo, HI D+19
- Leisure, IN R+59
- Petty, TX R+78
- Platten, NY R+45
- Fort Seybert, WV R+63
- Pogue, PA R+74
- Lathrop, MI R+37
- Mc Bride, MO R+69
- Calder, ID R+41
- Jacksonburg, NY R+42
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Idaho Secretary of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.