Commercial Real Estate Market in Sterling, IL
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
36 active listings and 815 off-market properties in Sterling, IL. Commercial property asks $351/SF to buy and $17.79/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Sterling, IL spans 124.4 square miles in Whiteside County, Illinois. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Sterling, IL runs 21.3% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 13.7% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Sterling, IL runs 6.3% across the Midwest region in 2025, down from 8% in 2020.
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Sterling, IL runs 4.9% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2019. Nearly 1.6x the 2022 low of 3.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Multifamily
Multifamily vacancy in Sterling, IL runs 8% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 6.5% in 2022.
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 65.3%
- Commercial 19.4%
- Industrial 13.4%
- Mixed use 0.9%
- Open space 0.6%
- Agricultural 0.3%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Single Family Residential
Single Family Residential
Single Family Residential
Regional Business
Two Family Residential
Sterling, IL zones 3,830 acres across 19 districts. Commercial zoning covers 19.4% of zoned land, residential 65.3%, open space 0.6% and industrial 13.4%. The largest single district is Single Family Residential at 18.9%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 32.8% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Sterling, IL has 21,064 residents in 9,753 households. Density runs 169 people per square mile. Median household income here is $60,854 and median gross rent $791 a month.
21,064
Population
9,753
Households
2.2
Avg Household Size
43
Median Age
20%
College-Educated
91%
High-School Grad
124.4 sq mi
ZIP Area
169
Density / Sq Mi
$60,854
Median Household Income
$40,497
Median Earnings
$791
Median Rent
$121,000
Median Home Value
Tools
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Falls | — | — |
| Galt | — | — |
| Yeowardville | — | — |
| Nelson | — | — |
Commercial property in Sterling, IL asks $351/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Sterling?
Commercial property in Sterling, IL asks an average of $351 per square foot.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Sterling?
Asking lease rates in Sterling, IL average $17.79 per square foot per year.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Sterling?
Sterling, IL zones 3,830 acres across 19 districts, of which 19.4% is commercial and 13.4% industrial. The largest single district is Single Family Residential at 18.9% of zoned land. Residential zoning covers 65.3% and open space 0.6%.
Where does Realmo's Sterling market data come from?
Realmo compiles Sterling, IL figures from 6 recent recorded sales, 29 active sale listings, 7 active lease listings, 815 tracked off-market properties, the current Sterling zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 29 active for-sale and 7 active for-lease listings in Sterling, IL. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 3,830 zoned acres across 19 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Midwest region level, retail vacancy is reported at Midwest region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Midwest region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
