Sterling and Kewanee receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Sterling
Kewanee
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
16 · Bottom 5%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 25%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Sterling | Kewanee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,717 | 11,913 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,350 | $50,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,040 | $29,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,475/sq mi | 1,806/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $108,700 | $73,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $859 | $797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.5" | 39.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 46.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 14.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.9% | 12.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 19.8% | 28.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.5% | 64.8% | 2024-25 school 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.
Kewanee
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: Sterling, IL · Kewanee, IL · How this is calculated: methodology