Townapedia
Sterling City, TX downtown IMG 1415
Sterling City, TX downtown IMG 1415 · Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Concho San Saba and Llano Valley Station Plaque
Concho San Saba and Llano Valley Station Plaque · Larry D. Moore, Public domain

Sterling City, Texas

Sterling City is a city of 1,256 people in Sterling County, Texas.

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Population1,256 +9.2% since 2019
Elevation2,287 ft 697 m
Land area1.0 sq mi
ZIP code76951
Nearest airportBig Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport (HCA) 40 mi

Why visit Sterling City

Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 1 place to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 30°F.

About Sterling City

Sterling City is a city in and the county seat of Sterling County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,121 at the 2020 census.

From the Wikipedia article Sterling City, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks4

Parks, trails and playgrounds3

Sterling City Golf Course

Golf course · 0.5 mi

211 3rd Street, Sterling City

Open in Google Maps

Eagle Stadium

Sports field and stadium

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Sterling City Park

Park · 0.7 mi

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Restaurants and cafes1

DQ Grill & Chill

Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger

403 4th Street, Sterling City

Open in Google Maps · +1 325-378-5161

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Where to stay2

1910 State Hotel

Motel and hotel

702 4th Street, Sterling City

Open in Google Maps · +1-325-378-2030

West Concho RV Park

Campground · 1.5 mi

205 Stockyard Lane, Sterling City

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History

Sterling City was named for W.S. Sterling, a buffalo hunter and Indian fighter. Land for the new town was donated in January 1891 by R.C. Stewart, and was platted by H.B. Tarver in February. That same year, it was designated the seat of Sterling County. The town soon grew to 300 residents and had its own newspaper, a hotel, a post office, several other businesses, a school, and three churches.

Sterling City was a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad by 1910, but the service was eventually abandoned. The depot still exists as a tourist site.

During World War II, Sterling City's population decreased by 10%. When it was incorporated in August 1955, Sterling City had a population of some 800 and had added three more churches, a hospital, a bank, and a library.

On May 25, 1955, 15 United States Air Force personnel, flying in a B-36 bomber under the callsign Abbot 27, perished in a crash near Sterling City.

From the History section of Sterling City, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Churches and places of worship1

  • First Baptist Church Sterling City

    Church · Baptist · 0.5 mi

    403 Water Street, Sterling City

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Gas and EV charging2

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Schools, colleges and libraries4

Map of Sterling City

17 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

40°60°80°100°January: 0.9 in of rainFebruary: 1.0 in of rainMarch: 1.3 in of rainApril: 1.3 in of rainMay: 2.8 in of rainJune: 2.1 in of rainJuly: 1.7 in of rainAugust: 2.4 in of rainSeptember: 2.5 in of rainOctober: 2.5 in of rainNovember: 1.2 in of rainDecember: 0.9 in of rainJanuary: 58°FFebruary: 62°FMarch: 69°FApril: 78°FMay: 85°FJune: 91°FJuly: 94°FAugust: 93°FSeptember: 86°FOctober: 77°FNovember: 66°FDecember: 58°FJanuary: 30°FFebruary: 34°FMarch: 42°FApril: 50°FMay: 61°FJune: 68°FJuly: 71°FAugust: 70°FSeptember: 62°FOctober: 52°FNovember: 39°FDecember: 31°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan58°F30°F0.9 in0.1 in
Feb62°F34°F1.0 in0.4 in
Mar69°F42°F1.3 in0.0 in
Apr78°F50°F1.3 in0.0 in
May85°F61°F2.8 in0.0 in
Jun91°F68°F2.1 in0.0 in
Jul94°F71°F1.7 in0.0 in
Aug93°F70°F2.4 in0.0 in
Sep86°F62°F2.5 in0.0 in
Oct77°F52°F2.5 in0.0 in
Nov66°F39°F1.2 in0.5 in
Dec58°F31°F0.9 in0.5 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sterling City (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$66,615median household income
$134,800median home value
$952median monthly rent
29.9median age
19.6%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
77.7%of homes are owner-occupied
24.4 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1836%18 to 3424%35 to 6427%65 and over13%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Sterling County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.

  • 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
  • 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
  • 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2011-07-01: Wildfires (Fire)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport (HCA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 40 miles away.

  • Carlsbad 26 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
  • Robert Lee 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
  • Grape Creek 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
  • Colorado City 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
  • Big Spring 40 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
  • Bronte 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
  • San Angelo 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
  • Roscoe 49 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Big Lake 52 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
  • Sweetwater 55 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.