Primary sources for Sterling, VA
- Census Bureau profile of Sterling, VA, ACS data
- EIA-861 utility data for Sterling, VA, prices
- DOE LEAD tool for Sterling, VA, energy burden
- NOAA storms and FEMA flood claims for Sterling, VA
Electricity rates in Sterling, Virginia
Sterling, VA ranks 3 of 23 Virginia cities for the share of homes heated by electricity (58%). Sterling, Virginia has 31,251 residents in 9,684 households; 57.6% heat with electricity.
Sterling is a census-designated place, a Census Bureau statistical area and not an incorporated city; the figures describe Sterling as the Bureau draws it.
Sterling on the map
Loudoun County, with Sterling marked
Cost of living with electricity in Sterling
Sterling, VA: 9,684 households at $1,618 a year per home for electricity (Loudoun County average, DOE LEAD) come to about $15.7 million, an estimate; all home energy is $2,523 a year per household.
| Group in Sterling, VA | Households | Power per home | Power bill of the group | Share of Sterling, VA median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, VA, all households | 9,684 | $1,618 | $15.7 million | 1.29% |
| Sterling, VA, homeowners | 7,290 | $1,781 | $13.0 million | 1.42% |
| Sterling, VA, renters | 2,394 | $1,061 | $2.5 million | 0.84% |
Who lives in Sterling: income, cars, homes
Of 17,346 workers in Sterling, VA, 2,232 work from home, 11,588 drive alone, 190 ride transit and 114 walk. In Sterling, VA, 594 households own no vehicle and 6,559 own two or more; home EV charging depends on that. In Sterling, VA, 1,035 of 2,344 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent; 2,750 households moved in since 2018 and 1,591 before 2000, so electric accounts turn over at a moderate pace. In Sterling, VA, 1,202 of 9,684 households earn under $35,000, 1,380 $35,000-$75,000, 3,386 $75,000-$150,000 and 3,716 $150,000 or more. Sterling, VA homes: 7,334 have 3+ bedrooms, 935 none or one, median 6.5 rooms. 2,105 residents of Sterling, VA live below the poverty line, and the median age is 34.8.
Household income in Sterling, VA
| Sterling, VA | Value | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling, VA, households under $35,000 | 12.4% | 8 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, households $150,000 or more | 38.4% | 15 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, residents below poverty | 6.8% | 11 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, median age | 34.8 | 20 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, homes with 3+ bedrooms | 73.2% | 9 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, households without a vehicle | 6.1% | 7 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, households with 2+ vehicles | 67.7% | 8 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, workers at home | 12.9% | 21 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, cost-burdened renters | 44.2% | 15 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, moved in since 2018 | 28.4% | 17 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, moved in before 2000 | 16.4% | 11 of 23 |
Housing and heating in Sterling
Sterling, VA: 4,750 of 10,017 homes were built before 1980 and 882 in 2000 or later. Sterling, VA has 5,108 detached houses, 1,549 homes in 5+ unit buildings and 55 mobile homes.
Age of homes in Sterling, VA
% of homes by decade built, Sterling, VA
- 1pre-40
- 040s
- 150s
- 1760s
- 2970s
- 2580s
- 1890s
- 400s
- 410s
- 020+
Heating fuel in Sterling, VA
| Sterling, VA | Value | County | Gap | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, VA, median year built | 1981 | 2002 | -21 years | 14 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, built before 1980 | 47.4% | 13.4% | +34.0 points | 10 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, built 2000 or later | 8.8% | 55.1% | -46.3 points | 20 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, detached houses | 51.0% | 51.6% | -0.6 points | 10 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, apartments in 5+ unit buildings | 15.5% | 15.9% | -0.4 points | 16 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, mobile homes | 0.5% | 0.5% | +0.0 points | 7 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, renter households | 24.7% | 22.1% | +2.6 points | 16 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, median home value | $508,400 | $701,000 | -$192,600 | 15 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, median gross rent a month | $1,979 | $2,317 | -$338 | 16 of 23 |
| Sterling, VA, people per household | 3.22 | 3.02 | +0.20 | 4 of 23 |
Outage risk around Sterling
Sterling, VA, NWS reports within 15 miles of the centre, 2015 to 2025: 585 wind and 12 tornado, 1,910.3 per 100,000 residents of 31,251. Top gust near Sterling, VA: 78 knots, 90 mph. Damage near Sterling, VA: $18.1M.
Reports within 15 miles of Sterling, VA
wind and tornado reports, Sterling, VA
- 45'15
- 26'16
- 70'17
- 14'18
- 101'19
- 61'20
- 79'21
- 61'22
- 59'23
- 31'24
- 50'25
| Sterling, VA | Wind | Tornado | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, VA, 2015 | 45 | 0 | 45 |
| Sterling, VA, 2016 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| Sterling, VA, 2017 | 68 | 2 | 70 |
| Sterling, VA, 2018 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Sterling, VA, 2019 | 100 | 1 | 101 |
| Sterling, VA, 2020 | 58 | 3 | 61 |
| Sterling, VA, 2021 | 79 | 0 | 79 |
| Sterling, VA, 2022 | 59 | 2 | 61 |
| Sterling, VA, 2023 | 58 | 1 | 59 |
| Sterling, VA, 2024 | 28 | 3 | 31 |
| Sterling, VA, 2025 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Facts about Sterling
- Residents of Sterling, VA, ACS 2023
- 31,25121 of 23 Virginia cities with 30,000+
- Median household income in Sterling, VA
- $125,75312 of 23 of those cities
- Households in Sterling, VA
- 9,6843.23 people each
- Owner-occupied homes in Sterling, VA
- 75.3%7,290 owners and 2,394 renter households
- Housing units in Sterling, VA
- 10,017333 vacant or seasonal
- Homes heated by electricity in Sterling, VA
- 57.6%5,580 of 9,684 homes
- Land area of Sterling, VA
- 5.5 sq mi5,729.9 people per sq mi
- Bill as share of income in Sterling, VA
- 1.1% to 1.4%at 1,032 kWh a month over the $125,753 median household income
- Wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of Sterling, VA
- 597NWS point reports 2015 to 2025, 1,910.3 per 100,000 residents
- Median year homes were built in Sterling, VA
- 19814,750 of 10,017 homes (47.4%) before 1980
- Median home value and rent in Sterling, VA
- $508,400$1,979 gross rent a month, 4.67% of value a year
Who supplies Sterling
Loudoun County lists 2 utilities for Sterling, VA (31,251 residents): homes pay 11.57 to 14.09 cents per kWh, about $119 to $146 a month at 1,032 kWh, 1.1% to 1.4% of the $125,753 Sterling median income. Loudoun County page.
Analyst note on Sterling
5,580 of the 9,684 occupied homes in Sterling, VA heat with electricity. Sterling, VA counts 31,251 residents in 9,684 households, on 5.5 square miles. Household income in Sterling, VA is $125,753; 7,290 of its 9,684 households own.
Sterling, VA has 10,017 housing units, 333 of them vacant or seasonal. Sterling, VA ranks 3 of 23 Virginia cities for the fewest people working from home (12.9% of workers). Sterling, VA ranks 4 of 23 Virginia cities for the youngest residents (median age 34.8).
Sterling, VA ranks 7 of 23 Virginia cities for the share of mobile homes (1%).
Bill and heat pump calculator, Sterling
Compare Sterling with nearby cities
| City near Sterling, VA | Distance from Sterling | Residents | Median income | Median year built | Median home value | Storm reports within 15 miles | Work from home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, VA (this page) | 0 mi | 31,251 | $125,753 | 1981 | $508,400 | 597 | 12.9% |
| Ashburn, VA | 3.9 mi northwest | 45,551 (+14,300) | $152,094 (+$26,341) | 1999 (+18 yr) | $659,000 (+$150,600) | 490 (-107) | 25.8% (+12.9 pts) |
| Reston, VA | 5.0 mi southeast | 63,542 (+32,291) | $139,515 (+$13,762) | 1983 (+2 yr) | $616,000 (+$107,600) | 756 (+159) | 30.2% (+17.3 pts) |
| South Riding, VA | 8.7 mi southwest | 34,200 (+2,949) | $190,701 (+$64,948) | 2006 (+25 yr) | $689,400 (+$181,000) | 484 (-113) | 27.3% (+14.5 pts) |
| Oakton, VA | 9.7 mi southeast | 36,776 (+5,525) | $163,662 (+$37,909) | 1983 (+2 yr) | $776,700 (+$268,300) | 823 (+226) | 30.7% (+17.8 pts) |
| Fair Oaks, VA | 10.0 mi south | 35,472 (+4,221) | $119,387 (-$6,366) | 1998 (+17 yr) | $580,500 (+$72,100) | 697 (+100) | 26.8% (+13.9 pts) |
ZIP codes in Sterling
| ZIP area touching Sterling, VA | Share of the ZIP's land inside Sterling | Share of Sterling's land in the ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| 20164 (Sterling, VA) | 66.5% | 92.8% |
| 20166 (Sterling, VA) | 1.4% | 7.2% |
Census 2020 ZCTA to place land-area overlap. Look up any ZIP.
Virginia: home prices since 2001, planned plants.
Questions on Sterling
Sterling: what is the electricity rate?
Sterling, VA has no price of its own; its 31,251 residents are served by one of 2 utilities, and a 1,032 kWh month costs $119 to $146.
Sterling: how does it rank among Virginia cities?
Sterling, VA: rank 21 of 23 by its 31,251 residents, rank 12 of 23 by $125,753 median income.
Sterling: how many homes heat with electricity?
Sterling, VA: 5,580 of 9,684 occupied homes, 57.6%; Loudoun County 31.7%.
Sterling: how much income goes to electricity?
At 1,032 kWh a month, 1.1% to 1.4% of the $125,753 median income in Sterling, VA.
Sterling: damaging storms reported nearby?
597 NWS wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of the centre of Sterling, VA, 2015 to 2025, 1,910.3 per 100,000 residents.
How old are the homes in Sterling?
Sterling, VA: median home built 1981; 4,750 of 10,017 homes (47.4%) predate 1980, 5,108 are detached and 1,549 sit in buildings of 5+ units.
How many people in Sterling, VA work from home?
2,232 of 17,346 workers.
How many Sterling, VA households have no car?
594 households; 6,559 have two or more.
How many Sterling, VA renters struggle with rent?
1,035 of 2,344 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent.