The Town FilesSterling, Alaska
Community in Kenai Peninsula Borough · population 5,918 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,400
- Household income
- $102,415
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 66°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 46.8
Sterling is a community of 5,918 people in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. The median home is worth $353,400, above the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks quieter than 91% of Alaska towns, better for retirees than 86% of Alaska towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of Alaska towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Alaska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alaska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $353,400, above the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $102,415, which is more affordable than 49% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $1,248 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,400 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $1,248 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $102,415 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 86.6% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.9% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.7% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 14.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 14.6% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 66.1°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 23.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 200 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950.
Severe weather in Kenai Peninsula Borough since 1996
Kenai Peninsula Borough has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2022 | Mud/Landslide | DR-4661: Landslide |
| January 15, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4638: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3446: Covid-19 |
| January 31, 2019 | Earthquake | DR-4413: Earthquake |
Jobs and pay in Kenai Peninsula Borough
Kenai Peninsula Borough had 21,474 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,398 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Sterling
1 public school with 124 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Elementary | PK-6 | 124 | 11.3 |
Towns near Sterling
- Soldotna, AK9.5 mi · 4,342 people · home $306,000
- Kenai, AK13.5 mi · 7,424 people · home $283,900
- Kalifornsky, AK15.1 mi · 8,487 people · home $336,800
- Nikiski, AK19.0 mi · 4,456 people · home $312,600
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 86% of Alaska towns and quieter than 91%. 27.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.8).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $353,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,415, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,248 a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 66.1°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.1 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Sterling in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)