Markets/Illinois/Sterling

Sterling, IL Real Estate Market 2026

Investor-grade market analytics for Sterling, Illinois. Data from Zillow ZHVI, FRED, Census ACS, and FEMA NRI. Updated monthly.

Median Home Price

$146,547

+4.5% year-over-year

Est. Rental Yield

6.7%

gross annual

Market Momentum

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Warm
2.7mo supply ยท Score +2/7

Migration: Top 35% nationally

Income Migration

โžก๏ธ Neutral1.02x

In-migrants avg $45,393 AGI vs out-migrants $44,316

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Opportunity Zone Market

1 ZIP codes in Sterling are designated Qualified Opportunity Zones (IRC 1400Z-2), eligible for capital gains tax deferral on qualifying investments. Learn more โ†’

Sterling Market Summary

Sterling, IL shows steady growth at 4.5% year-over-year appreciation, reflecting balanced market conditions with moderate demand. Affordability remains favorable with a price-to-income ratio of 2.27x, below the national average of 4.8x. Modest net positive migration (+62 returns/year) provides steady demand support. Climate risk remains low (25/100), favorable for long-term investment stability. Rental yield of 6.69% is strong, making this market attractive for buy-and-hold investors.

Affordability

Affordability Score100/100
Price-to-Income Ratio2.3x (national avg 4.8x)
Median Household Income$64,536

Climate & Natural Hazard Risk

Sterling, IL's primary climate exposure is wind storms (70/100). The composite climate risk score of 25/100 (Low) indicates overall risk reflecting favorable conditions for long-term real estate investment. This market benefits from relatively low natural hazard exposure compared to coastal and wildfire-prone regions.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Get the full Sterling dataset

Migration flows, ZIP-level neighborhood data, full demographics, price history, and the Market Screener.