Signals
Sterling
Alexandria
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs64 · Bottom 26%
Schools
31 · Bottom 24%
vs28 · Bottom 21%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Sterling | Alexandria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,411 | 156,976 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,303 | $119,681 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,481 | $79,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,943/sq mi | 10,511/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $526,000 | $735,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,138 | $2,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 41.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 30.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.04 | 15.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.2% | 39.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.4% | 52.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.4% | 69.2% | 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.
Your best match
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Sterling
75
Your Score
—
Area Score
Alexandria
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
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Full profiles: Sterling, VA · Alexandria, VA · How this is calculated: methodology