The typical owner-occupied home in Sterling is worth about $217,400, 60% below the Colorado median of $539,400 and 35% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $939 a year in property taxes, about 0.43% of their home's value, lower than the Colorado rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $43,283 a year, so the median home costs 5.0 times the median income (5.6 times for Colorado). 56% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Sterling at a glance
| Sterling | Colorado | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,400 | $539,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $939 | $2,602 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.43% | 0.48% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $43,283 | $95,470 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 56% | 66% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 53% | 69% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,431 | $2,326 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.5% | 22.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,031 | $1,761 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.3% | 31.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1961 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 5.1% | 8.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 13,172 | 5,862,189 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Sterling
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sterling home of $217,400 with 20% down costs about $1,338 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,701, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $57,363 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Sterling household income of $43,283; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $164,000.
The median rent here is $1,031 a month, so owning the median home costs about $307 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $43,480 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $173,920 |
| Principal and interest | $1,170 |
| Property taxes (0.43% a year) | $78 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $91 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,338 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,609 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $213,462 |
| Principal and interest | $1,436 |
| Property taxes (0.43% a year) | $78 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $91 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $96 |
| Total per month | $1,701 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Sterling
What is the median home value in Sterling?
About $217,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Sterling?
Homeowners pay a median $939 a year, which is about 0.43% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Sterling?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,338 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $57,363 a year.
More about Sterling
- Mortgage Refinance in Sterling
- Debt Relief in Sterling
- Home Equity Loans in Sterling
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data