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
Streator
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
16 · Bottom 5%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs30 · Bottom 23%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 25%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Sterling | Streator | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,717 | 12,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,350 | $57,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,040 | $32,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,475/sq mi | 1,684/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $108,700 | $94,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $859 | $852 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.3% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.5" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 26.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 14.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.9% | 12.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 19.8% | 18.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.5% | 62.8% | 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.
Streator
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Sterling, IL · Streator, IL · How this is calculated: methodology