Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, home to about 3,192 people across 45 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 13111 and 13156, and parts of 13143 are in Sterling too.
Homes sold for a median of $158 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Population3,19270 per sq mi
Median home value$141,200Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$158Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Sterling. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Sterling guide is on the way
We’re writing up Sterling’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do
Are you a local agent who knows Sterling well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
Around Sterling
Distances
Nearest major airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR)31 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Buffalo, NY114 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
New York, NY230 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Sterling; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Sterling
U.S. Representative · New York’s 24th DistrictClaudia Tenney (R)
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Population over time
Sterling had 3,221 residents in the 2020 census, down 6% since 2000.
It’s the 496th largest of 1,007 towns in New York by population.
Cayuga County grew from 66,234 residents in 1900 to 76,248 in 2020.
Cayuga County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 19°F. About 43.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 140 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Oswego, NY weather station (12 miles away).
Jobs in Cayuga County
17,820 jobs at 1,509 businesses in Cayuga County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
3 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Sterling’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Oswego HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Oswego12.8 miles
Auburn Community HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Auburn25.7 miles
Newark-Wayne Community HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Newark27.7 miles
Providers with an office here
Primary care doctors
1
Mental health providers
1
Physical and occupational therapists
1
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Places in and around Sterling
Parks (3 nearby)
Fair Haven Beach State Park · 1,018 acres2.7 mi
West Barrier Bar County Park · 15 acres3.6 mi
Fort Haven Beach State Park2.3 mi
Grocery stores
Tops4.8 mi
Libraries (1 nearby)
Fair Haven Public Library2.0 mi
Counts are within about 4.5 miles of the center of town.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.