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Sterling City, Texas Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

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Sterling City is located in West Texas, about an hour southwest of San Angelo. The city has a semi-arid climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The area receives an average of 15 inches of rainfall each year, mostly during summer months. The terrain is mostly flat with some rolling hills and plains.

The city was founded in 1891 by the Sterling family, who were ranchers and farmers from Arkansas. Over the years, the population has grown steadily due to an influx of oil workers during the oil boom of the 1920s. Today, Sterling City is home to a diverse population of over 4500 people and boasts a strong economy based on agriculture and oil production.

The city is governed by a mayor-council system with five council members elected at large for two-year terms. There is also a mayor who serves for four years, elected by popular vote every two years. The city has several parks, including the historic Sterling City Park which features a lake and walking trails.

Sterling City is home to three schools: Sterling High School, Sterling Elementary School and Sterling Middle School. All three schools are part of the same district (Sterling Independent School District) which serves students from pre-kindergarten through high school graduation. The district offers many educational opportunities for students including advanced placement courses as well as career and technical education programs in areas such as automotive technology or welding technology that help prepare students for college or other post-secondary options after graduation.

The city’s most famous landmark is the historic General Store & Post Office which dates back to 1906 when it was built by the Sterling family as part of their ranching operations in West Texas. Today it serves as a museum where visitors can learn about local history as well as shop for souvenirs or grab a bite to eat at its restaurant or cafe located inside the store building itself! Other popular attractions include the annual rodeo held every July since 1933; nearby Lake JB Thomas which offers camping, fishing and boating activities; and two golf courses – one public (Ranchland Hills) and one private (Canyon Oaks).

Population: 1,081. Estimated population in July 2024: 1,013 (-6.3% change)
Males: 525 (48.6%), Females: 556 (51.4%)

Sterling County

Zip code: 76951

Demographics

Median resident age: 37.9 years
Median household income: $36,359
Median house value: $51,600

Population by Race

Races in Sterling City:

  • White Non-Hispanic (66.1%)
  • Hispanic (33.3%)
  • Other race (14.8%)
  • Two or more races (2.6%)
  • American Indian (0.6%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: United States (19.1%), German (8.2%), Irish (6.3%), English (4.4%), French (1.5%), Scotch-Irish (1.5%).

Land area: 1.0 square miles

Population by Education

Sterling City is located in Sterling County, Texas and has a population of 1,724 people, according to the 2019 U.S. Census. The city is predominantly White (89%), while 6.2% of the population is African American and 1.3% Asian. The remaining 3.5% are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median age for residents of Sterling City is 44 years old, and about half (50%) of the population is married with children under 18 years old living at home in 32% of households. The median household income for all households in Sterling City is $46,250; this figure is lower than the state average of $55,653 for Texas as a whole.

The majority (54%) of people living in Sterling City have attained a high school diploma or GED certificate; an additional 23% have some college education but no degree; 15% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher level education credential; and 8% have not completed high school education requirements. Employment-wise, most residents work in sales/office occupations (27%), followed by management/business/finance occupations (19%), production/transportation occupations (14%), and construction/extraction occupations (10%). Other industries that employ citizens include healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (9%), food preparation/serving related occupations (8%), arts/design/entertainment/sports occupations (7%), installation/maintenance repair occupations (4%), computer science-related fields (3%) and legal professions (2%).

For population 25 years and over in Sterling City

  • High school or higher: 67.9%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.3%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 2.7%
  • Unemployed: 2.7%
  • Mean travel time to work: 26.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Sterling City city

  • Never married: 16.6%
  • Now married: 64.3%
  • Separated: 1.0%
  • Widowed: 9.4%
  • Divorced: 8.7%

7.2% Foreign born (6.6% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: -7 (-0.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Sterling City:

  • MITCHELL COUNTY HOSPITAL (about 37 miles; COLORADO CITY, TX)
  • BIG SPRING STATE HOSPITAL (about 41 miles; BIG SPRING, TX)
  • RIVER CREST HOSP (about 41 miles; SAN ANGELO, TX)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Sterling City:

  • SAN ANGELO REGIONAL/MATHIS FIELD (about 49 miles; SAN ANGELO, TX; Abbreviation: SJT)
  • MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL (about 85 miles; MIDLAND, TX; Abbreviation: MAF)
  • DYESS AFB (about 89 miles; ABILENE, TX; Abbreviation: DYS)

Other public-use airports nearest to Sterling City:

  • ALVIE COLE RANCH (about 15 miles; STERLING CITY, TX; Abbreviation: 64F)
  • ROBERT LEE (about 32 miles; ROBERT LEE, TX; Abbreviation: 54F)
  • COLORADO CITY (about 44 miles; COLORADO CITY, TX; Abbreviation: T88)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Sterling City:

  • ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY (about 37 miles; SAN ANGELO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 5,477)
  • MIDLAND COLLEGE (about 78 miles; MIDLAND, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,800)
  • HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY (about 97 miles; Abilene, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,026)
  • ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (about 99 miles; ABILENE, TX; Full-time enrollment: 4,380)
  • ODESSA COLLEGE (about 102 miles; ODESSA, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,555)
  • TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY (about 135 miles; LUBBOCK, TX; Full-time enrollment: 22,439)
  • SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE (about 157 miles; LEVELLAND, TX; Full-time enrollment: 3,851)

Schools

Public high schools in Sterling City:

  • STERLING CITY H S (Students: 107; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • WATER VALLEY VOC TRAIN (Students: 3; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • C B P (Students: 2; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Sterling City:

  • STERLING CITY EL (Students: 88; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: PK – 05)
  • STERLING CITY J H (Students: 71; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • WALL SPECIAL PROGRAMS (Students: 2; Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: PK – 12)
  • FAIRVIEW DAEP (Location: 700 7TH ST; Grades: N – N )

Libraries

Library in Sterling City:

  • STERLING COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $18,026; Location: 301 MAIN; 7,919 books; 363 audio materials; 216 video materials; 5 serial subscriptions)

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