Population 3,215 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sterling
Household size in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.14 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.68 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Sterling are small: just 2.31 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.14, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8 | 36.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.8 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.2 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.5 | 38.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.5, Sterling is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Sterling: 17.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Compared with other Charlotte neighborhoods, Sterling has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sterling
Renters in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.6% | 30.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 68.8% | 33.4% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.2% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 64.7% | 34.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Sterling: 64.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 26.0% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 10.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 8.6% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Sterling than nationally: 11.6%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Sterling has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five Charlotte neighborhoods.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1989 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1994 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sterling is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The Charlotte area as a whole looks much the same.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $779 | $875 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $863 | $966 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,118 | $1,127 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,642 | $1,552 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$863 | +$678 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sterling pays $1,642 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the Charlotte area overall ($1,552). The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sterling
Bachelor's degrees in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 30.6% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 32.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 35.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.4% | 40.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +19.6 pts | +10.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Sterling than nationally: 40.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The Charlotte area as a whole looks much the same.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.2% | 85.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.3% | 87.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 89.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 90.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Sterling never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Compared with other Charlotte neighborhoods, Sterling has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sterling
| Period | Sterling | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Sterling than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sterling compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | 2.31 | 33.5 | 17.0% | 64.7% | 11.6% | 1991 | $1,642 | 40.4% | 85.0% | 3.6% |
| Starmount Forest-Charlotte | 2.94 | 28.6 | 22.6% | 81.3% | 9.5% | 1982 | $1,423 | 16.7% | 64.3% | 6.2% |
| Park Crossing | 2.22 | 40.8 | 3.9% | 46.9% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,819 | 52.5% | 90.2% | 4.6% |
| Seven Eagles | 2.32 | 44.9 | 10.9% | 48.0% | 10.5% | 1990 | $1,913 | 60.6% | 93.8% | 0.5% |
| Quail Hollow | 2.07 | 44.8 | 2.7% | 8.8% | 3.7% | 1978 | $1,712 | 74.1% | 99.4% | 4.1% |
| Montclaire South | 2.93 | 31.0 | 21.6% | 72.0% | 8.3% | 1985 | $1,481 | 33.3% | 74.1% | 7.4% |
| Carmel | 2.40 | 41.7 | 5.2% | 35.4% | 7.8% | 1987 | $1,883 | 65.3% | 94.7% | 8.7% |
| Starmount | 2.53 | 31.7 | 20.6% | 21.4% | 5.1% | 1992 | $1,680 | 61.1% | 85.3% | 4.8% |
| Beverly Woods | 2.35 | 42.2 | 11.4% | 27.6% | 8.0% | 1982 | $2,308 | 82.8% | 99.1% | 4.6% |
| Johnston-McAlpine | 2.43 | 37.3 | 13.2% | 57.0% | 3.8% | 1985 | $1,777 | 41.8% | 92.8% | 1.5% |
| Sharon Woods | 2.28 | 42.3 | 1.7% | 30.5% | 2.7% | 1978 | $1,886 | 73.4% | 97.6% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Park, Tucson, AZ · Holly Hills, St. Louis, MO · Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Pittsburgh, PA · Loch Raven Village, Parkville, MD · Lockeland Springs, Nashville, TN · Marinwood, San Rafael, CA · Meadow Springs, Richland, WA · Skunk City, Syracuse, NY · South East Lake, Birmingham, AL · South End, Bridgeport, CT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sterling. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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