Last updated on September 14, 2026

Average rent in
Sterling, IL

Median rent

Median rent in Sterling

$812/mo

increased by2%

vs previous year

The average rent in Sterling is $812 per month as of September 2026. This is 57% below the national average rent, or $1,087 less per month.

$1.92

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Sterling

17

for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Sterling rentals at each price point

60%45%30%15%0%
$0 - $750
$751 - $1,500
$1,501 - $2,250
$2,251 - $3,000
$3,001+

Rent trends in Sterling, IL

Average rent prices in Sterling have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 2% since last year.

Rent trends

Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.

Compare rent prices in Sterling, IL

Rent prices in Sterling vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Sterling is $750, whereas a house costs $1,025. 1-bedroom apartments in Sterling run $700 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $850.

Listings

Studio

$600

No Change

13%

1 bedroom

$700

35%

17%

2 bedroom

$762

11%

23%

3 bedroom

$1,200

9%

-

4 bedroom

$1,300

14%

30%

Studio

Average rent

$600

Last year

13%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$700

Last 30 days

35%

Last year

17%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$762

Last 30 days

11%

Last year

23%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$1,200

Last 30 days

9%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$1,300

Last 30 days

14%

Last year

30%

The table above reflects average rent prices in Sterling, IL, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.

How does rent in Sterling, IL compare to other cities?

Compare median rent prices in Sterling and Clinton by all bedroom counts and property types.

Sterling

Median rent price$812
decreased by57%

lower than the national median

Median rent price$800
decreased by58%

lower than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Sterling, IL is 2% higher than the median rent in Clinton, IA.

Discover rentals in Sterling, IL

1900 1st Avenue - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

8.4

Very good

1900 1st Avenue

1900 1st Ave, Sterling, IL 61081

2 beds

1 bath

$850

904 6th Ave #1 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

House for rent in Sterling

904 6th Avenue - 1

904 6th Ave #1, Sterling, IL 61081

3 beds

1.5 baths

$1,200

Stay up to date with rental market insights

Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.

Frequently asked questions for Sterling, IL

Quick answers to common questions about the Sterling rental market.

How much is rent in Sterling?

The average rent in Sterling is $812 per month as of September 12, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Sterling?

Average rent prices in Sterling have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 2% since last year.

How does Sterling rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Sterling is 57% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,087 less per month.

What salary do I need to afford rent in Sterling?

To comfortably afford rent in Sterling, you'd need to earn approximately $33,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

Methodology

Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.

Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).

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