Sterling receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sterling
Oroville
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 6%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
3 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Access
57 · Bottom 6%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Sterling | Oroville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,172 | 19,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,283 | $52,270 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,573 | $26,452 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,729/sq mi | 1,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $217,400 | $311,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,031 | $1,093 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -96.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.2" | 25.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 77 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sterling
Elevated or high exposure: hail, cold wave, tornado.
Oroville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Sterling, CO · Oroville, CA · How this is calculated: methodology