HarrisDemocratic41.6%11,012TrumpRepublican56.3%14,898OtherAll other candidates2.0%537
R+14.7- Lead
- 3,886
- Total
- 26,447
- vs nation
- R+13.2
Akashicmetro area
Sterling, IL
Office (updates table and map)
President margin by year
Place winner margin
1 counties by 2024 margin · County returns · MIT Election Lab
President results by year
Vote totals, margins, and source status
BidenDemocratic44.7%12,253TrumpRepublican53.0%14,527OtherAll other candidates2.4%653
R+8.3- Lead
- 2,274
- Total
- 27,433
- vs nation
- R+12.7
ClintonDemocratic43.1%11,035TrumpRepublican49.3%12,615OtherAll other candidates7.6%1,932
R+6.2- Lead
- 1,580
- Total
- 25,582
- vs nation
- R+8.3
ObamaDemocratic57.4%14,833RomneyRepublican40.5%10,448OtherAll other candidates2.1%547
D+17.0- Lead
- 4,385
- Total
- 25,828
- vs nation
- D+13.1
ObamaDemocratic58.0%15,607McCainRepublican40.4%10,883OtherAll other candidates1.5%416
D+17.6- Lead
- 4,724
- Total
- 26,906
- vs nation
- D+10.3
KerryDemocratic51.1%13,723BushRepublican48.2%12,959OtherAll other candidates0.7%191
D+2.8- Lead
- 764
- Total
- 26,873
- vs nation
- D+5.3
GoreDemocratic51.9%12,886BushRepublican45.3%11,252OtherAll other candidates2.8%699
D+6.6- Lead
- 1,634
- Total
- 24,837
- vs nation
- D+6.1
ClintonDemocratic51.0%11,913DoleRepublican37.9%8,859OtherAll other candidates11.0%2,572
D+13.1- Lead
- 3,054
- Total
- 23,344
- vs nation
- D+4.6
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+14.7MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 54,9472024 5-year
- Population density
- 80 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 684 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $67,5002024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 80.9%2024 5-year
- Black
- 1.2%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 13.3%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+17.6 in 2008MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+67.3 in 1920MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Clinton, IA · twin score 89.9
presidential history
Party record book
Sterling, IL · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Barack Obama2008
58.0%
15,607 votes · D+17.6
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2012 · 57.4%
Republican
Warren G. Harding1920
81.7%
10,923 votes · R+67.3
Runner-up · Herbert Hoover, 1928 · 76.6%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Barack Obama2008
15,607votes
58.0% of the vote · D+17.6
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2012 · 14,833 votes
Republican
Dwight D. Eisenhower1956
17,589votes
74.0% of the vote · R+48.1
Runner-up · Richard Nixon, 1960 · 17,434 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
Barack Obama2012
+13.1pts D vs U.S.
Place D+17.0 · U.S. D+3.9
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2008 · +10.3 pts
Republican
Thomas E. Dewey1944
+50.8pts R vs U.S.
Place R+43.3 · U.S. D+7.5
Runner-up · Alf Landon, 1936 · +46.3 pts
U.S. House elections · 2 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
| Year | Vote lead | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 46.5%12,168 | 53.5%14,017 | 26,185 |
| 2020 | R | 49.4%13,400 | 50.6%13,748 | 27,148 |
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Registered voters
| Year | Total registered |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 41,435 |
| 2018 | 39,657 |
| 2020 | 39,768 |
| 2022 | 38,953 |
| 2024 | 38,035 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net domestic migration over time
−97 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net −3,469 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −227 |
| 2012 | −473 |
| 2013 | −272 |
| 2014 | −434 |
| 2015 | −149 |
| 2016 | −415 |
| 2017 | −460 |
| 2018 | −274 |
| 2019 | −330 |
| 2021 | −40 |
| 2022 | −540 |
| 2023 | +102 |
| 2024 | +140 |
| 2025 | −97 |
The Sterling-Rock Falls micropolitan area in Whiteside County leans Republican in federal races but has competitive local contests, reflecting a working-class industrial base that once anchored steel and wire production along the Rock River.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 17.6 points in 2008 and a Republican high of 67.3 points in 1920. Between 2020 and 2024 the metro moved 6.4 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 14.7 points.
A population of 54,947, a 81% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $67,500 describe the metro. The metro's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Clinton, IA and Platteville, WI.
Political twins — metros
The metros whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Clinton, IA
89.9twin score
12-yr trend2000–2012 trajectory≠ % unaffiliated
Platteville, WI
84.8twin score
12-yr trend2004–2012 trajectory≠ median age
Baraboo, WI
81.9twin score
2000–2012 trajectory≠ % unaffiliated
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Sterling, IL, Illinois. Akashic. https://akashic.app/cbsa/44580/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Places within Sterling, IL
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Frequently asked questions
How did Sterling, IL, Illinois vote in 2024?
In 2024, Sterling, IL, Illinois voted Republican by 14.7 points (R+14.7), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 26,447 votes cast, 11,012 went Democratic and 14,898 went Republican.
When did Sterling, IL, Illinois last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Sterling, IL, Illinois voted Democratic was 2012.
How many people live in Sterling, IL, Illinois?
Sterling, IL, Illinois has a population of 54,947 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Sterling, IL, Illinois?
Median household income in Sterling, IL, Illinois is $67,500 — below the national median of $80,734. The Illinois state median is $83,390.
What is the political history of Sterling, IL, Illinois?
Akashic tracks 34 presidential elections in Sterling, IL, Illinois from 1892 to 2024. Of those, 6 went Democratic and 27 went Republican.