Sterling leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 80% of adults in Sterling typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sterling, ~30% vote Democratic, ~51% Republican, and ~19% 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 30 of 78 neighbors.
Sterling runs about 39 points more Republican than New York as a whole. New York leans Democratic overall, while Sterling is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why Sterling leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Sterling, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Sterling votes against the grain of New York. New York leans Democratic overall, while Sterling runs about 39 points more Republican.
Homeownership and voter turnout
Places with homeowner-heavy households tend to turn out at a higher rate; Sterling, NY sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Sterling looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 90% of households in Sterling own their home, about 14 points above the New York average of 76%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Fair Haven, NY R+24
- Sterling Valley, NY R+16
- North Victory, NY R+37
- Martville, NY R+39
- Hannibal, NY R+39
- Hannibal Center, NY R+42
- North Hannibal, NY R+39
- Southwest Oswego, NY R+6
- Red Creek, NY R+43
- Furniss, NY R+16
Cities with Similar Populations
- Cambridge, IA R+25
- Holly, CO R+44
- Scottsville, TX R+35
- Sedalia, KY R+67
- Erving, MA D+4
- Schroeder, TX R+73
- Evergreen, TX R+87
- Marne, OH R+55
- Sulphur Rock, AR R+68
- Lakewood Village, TX R+25
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from New York State Board of 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.