Sterling, IL · standard
ZIP Code 61081
Whiteside County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 21,934
- 69/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $67,586
- Median income Near-median income area
- $123,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sterling pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 43rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 18th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 69
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61081 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 61081 (Sterling, IL) rose +12.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 155.8 in 2023 to 174.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 61081 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois, with 21,934 residents across 319.7 square miles, a density of 69 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 61081 reports a modest median household income of $67,586 (16% below the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,370. The poverty rate is 12.2%, with unemployment at 4.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $123,400 (36% below the average Illinois ZIP), and median rent is $870; owner occupancy is 72.8%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Whiteside County, so 61081 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 61081
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sterling, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 61081.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
82 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
60 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
58 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
57 establishments
- Construction
Construction
43 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 61081, Sterling, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
21,934
Population
319.7
Area (sq mi)
69
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 61081?
43.3
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
4.7%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$67,586
Median Household Income
-16% vs state ZIP avg
$38,370
Per Capita Income
12.2%
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Unemployment Rate
19.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 61081 ranks among Illinois ZIPs
Sterling, IL household income vs. every Illinois ZIP code
Median household income among 1,334 reporting Illinois ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$67,586 38th percentile higher than 38% of 1,334 Illinois ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Illinois ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
9,829housing units
9,829
Total Housing Units
8,884
Occupied Units
945
Vacant Units
2.30
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$123,400
Median Home Value
-36% vs state ZIP avg
$870
Median Rent
1959
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+12.1%
YoY Change (2024)
175
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+75%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 61081 have increased 12.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +75% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.8% | 131 |
| 2021 | +4.6% | 137 |
| 2022 | +11.6% | 153 |
| 2023 | +1.8% | 156 |
| 2024 | +12.1% | 175 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 490 business establishments in ZIP 61081, employing approximately 10,763 people with a combined annual payroll of $560,399,000.
490
Businesses
10,763
Employees
$560.4M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 82 | 16.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 60 | 12.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 58 | 11.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 57 | 11.6% |
| Construction | 43 | 8.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 34 | 6.9% |
| Manufacturing | 31 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 27 | 5.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 25 | 5.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 22 | 4.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 2.2% |
| Information | 9 | 1.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 61081 vs 61037 →
ZIP 61081 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61081
Sterling (61081)
21,934 residents
- 61071
Rock Falls (61071)
14,381 residents
- 61051 1,574
Milledgeville (61051)
1,574 residents
- 61014 1,173
Chadwick (61014)
1,173 residents
- 61037 140
Galt (61037)
140 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 61081 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 61081 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61037
Galt (61037)
$70,357 median income
- 61014
Chadwick (61014)
$69,329 median income
- 61081
Sterling (61081)
$67,586 median income
- 61071
Rock Falls (61071)
$60,508 median income
- 61051
Milledgeville (61051)
$59,565 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 61081 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 61081, both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (21,934 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Whiteside County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 61081 in?
ZIP code 61081 (Sterling) is located in Whiteside County, Illinois. Whiteside County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/whiteside-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61081?
ZIP code 61081 in Sterling, IL has a population of 21,934 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61081?
The median household income in ZIP 61081 is $67,586, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61081?
The median home value in ZIP 61081 is $123,400, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61081?
The largest racial group in ZIP 61081 is White at 77.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 21.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 61081?
ZIP code 61081 has 490 business establishments employing approximately 10,763 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 61081?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 61081 are: Retail trade (82), Health care and social assistance (60), Other services (except public administration) (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 61081?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 61081 increased by 12.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 75%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 61081?
In ZIP code 61081, 58.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 61081?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 61081 is 19.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 61081?
In ZIP code 61081, approximately 72.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61081?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61081 is 12.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 61081's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 61081 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sterling, IL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.