Zip code 61081: Sterling, Illinois

Q: What city is zip code 61081?

61081 is assigned to Sterling, Illinois. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 61081 in?

61081 is mostly in Whiteside County, but it extends into 1 other county.

Q: What is the population of 61081?

About 20,844 people live in 61081, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 61081?

The median household income in 61081 is $67,586.

Q: What zip codes are near 61081?

The closest zip codes to 61081 are 61037, 61071, 61051, 61091, 61014.

Residential delivery areaWhiteside CountyCentral Time

Population

20,844

Median household income

$68K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$123K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$870/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

43.3

U.S. 38.9

Land area

124 sq mi

168 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 61081

61081 is a small-town zip code in Sterling, Illinois (Whiteside County), covering 124 sq mi of land. About 20,844 people live here, or 168 per square mile. The median resident is 43.3 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $67,586 a year, 16% below the national median of $80,734. 12.2% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $123,400, or 1.8 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 73% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $870 a month.

22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 19.9 minutes each way, and 5% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in healthcare; transportation and moving goods; and office and administrative support.

How 61081 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Healthcare workers14.4%
93rd
U.S. 9.7% · IL 9.5%188th of 1,340 in IL
Residents 65 and older22.5%
85th
U.S. 17.2% · IL 17%415th of 1,342 in IL
Veterans8.7%
83rd
U.S. 6.2% · IL 4.8%333rd of 1,342 in IL
Median age43.3
79th
U.S. 38.9 · IL 39555th of 1,342 in IL
Government workers17.5%
74th
U.S. 14.5% · IL 13.3%390th of 1,340 in IL
Housing vacancy9.6%
69th
U.S. 10.1% · IL 7.7%568th of 1,338 in IL
Income inequality (Gini)0.458
68th
U.S. 0.483 · IL 0.481233rd of 1,336 in IL
Homeownership rate72.8%
61st
U.S. 65.2% · IL 67.1%994th of 1,338 in IL
Poverty rate12.2%
57th
U.S. 12.5% · IL 11.8%460th of 1,339 in IL
Per capita income$38,370
45th
U.S. $44,673 · IL $46,406626th of 1,341 in IL
Diversity index45.9
45th
U.S. 61.4 · IL 60.5260th of 1,342 in IL
Unemployment rate4.1%
36th
U.S. 5.2% · IL 5.8%713th of 1,340 in IL
Residents under 1820.4%
35th
U.S. 22% · IL 21.8%870th of 1,342 in IL
Rent-burdened renters46.6%
34th
U.S. 51.1% · IL 47.9%494th of 1,291 in IL
Median earnings per worker$43,177
33rd
U.S. $49,666 · IL $51,895898th of 1,336 in IL
Population20,844
32nd
U.S. 334,922,499 · IL 12,694,798229th of 1,342 in IL
Median household income$67,586
32nd
U.S. $80,734 · IL $83,390827th of 1,316 in IL
Foreign-born residents4.7%
28th
U.S. 14.1% · IL 14.7%386th of 1,342 in IL
Bachelor's degree or higher22.2%
26th
U.S. 35.7% · IL 37.8%657th of 1,340 in IL
Uninsured rate4.4%
26th
U.S. 8.4% · IL 6.9%674th of 1,341 in IL
Broadband access87.7%
22nd
U.S. 91% · IL 90.8%800th of 1,338 in IL
Population density168/sq mi
19th
U.S. 95/sq mi · IL 229/sq mi513th of 1,342 in IL
Self-employed workers7%
19th
U.S. 10% · IL 8.8%914th of 1,340 in IL
Tech workers1.2%
17th
U.S. 3.8% · IL 3.8%702nd of 1,340 in IL
Average commute19.9 min
12th
StrengthU.S. 26.4 min · IL 27.8 min1,153rd of 1,317 in IL
Median gross rent$870
11th
U.S. $1,413 · IL $1,274699th of 1,170 in IL
Work from home4.8%
7th
U.S. 15.1% · IL 15.9%1,020th of 1,339 in IL
Median home value$123,400
6th
U.S. $332,700 · IL $263,300864th of 1,311 in IL

Measure	61081	Whiteside	IL	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in IL
Healthcare workers	14.4%	11.3%	9.5%	9.7%	93rd	188th of 1,340
Residents 65 and older	22.5%	21.8%	17%	17.2%	85th	415th of 1,342
Veterans	8.7%	8.1%	4.8%	6.2%	83rd	333rd of 1,342
Median age	43.3	43	39	38.9	79th	555th of 1,342
Government workers	17.5%	15.3%	13.3%	14.5%	74th	390th of 1,340
Housing vacancy	9.6%	10.5%	7.7%	10.1%	69th	568th of 1,338
Income inequality (Gini)	0.458	0.439	0.481	0.483	68th	233rd of 1,336
Homeownership rate	72.8%	76.9%	67.1%	65.2%	61st	994th of 1,338
Poverty rate	12.2%	12%	11.8%	12.5%	57th	460th of 1,339
Per capita income	$38,370	$37,312	$46,406	$44,673	45th	626th of 1,341
Diversity index	45.9	32.6	60.5	61.4	45th	260th of 1,342
Unemployment rate	4.1%	4.4%	5.8%	5.2%	36th	713th of 1,340
Residents under 18	20.4%	22%	21.8%	22%	35th	870th of 1,342
Rent-burdened renters	46.6%	45.5%	47.9%	51.1%	34th	494th of 1,291
Median earnings per worker	$43,177	$44,975	$51,895	$49,666	33rd	898th of 1,336
Population	20,844	54,947	12,694,798	334,922,499	32nd	229th of 1,342
Median household income	$67,586	$67,500	$83,390	$80,734	32nd	827th of 1,316
Foreign-born residents	4.7%	3%	14.7%	14.1%	28th	386th of 1,342
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.2%	20.5%	37.8%	35.7%	26th	657th of 1,340
Uninsured rate	4.4%	5%	6.9%	8.4%	26th	674th of 1,341
Broadband access	87.7%	86.7%	90.8%	91%	22nd	800th of 1,338
Population density	168/sq mi	80/sq mi	229/sq mi	95/sq mi	19th	513th of 1,342
Self-employed workers	7%	7.8%	8.8%	10%	19th	914th of 1,340
Tech workers	1.2%	1.2%	3.8%	3.8%	17th	702nd of 1,340
Average commuteStrength	19.9 min	20.3 min	27.8 min	26.4 min	12th	1,153rd of 1,317
Median gross rent	$870	$856	$1,274	$1,413	11th	699th of 1,170
Work from home	4.8%	6.1%	15.9%	15.1%	7th	1,020th of 1,339
Median home value	$123,400	$127,100	$263,300	$332,700	6th	864th of 1,311

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

15%

5–17

18–24

11%

25–34

12%

35–44

13%

45–54

12%

55–64

13%

65–74

75+

Median age

43.3

Under 18

20.4%

65 and over

22.5%

Race and ethnicity

White70%
Black2%
Hispanic22%
Asian0.8%
Native American0.0%
Pacific Islander0%
Other0.5%
Multiracial4%

Diversity index

45.9

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

4.7%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

79.4%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

87%

Spanish

11%

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

0.7%

Other

0.2%

Households

Households: 8,884
Average household size: 2.3
Family households: 61.9%
Married couples: 44%
Living alone: 34.5%
Veterans (of adults): 8.7%
Male / female: 49% / 51%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

17%

$25–50k

23%

$50–75k

15%

$75–100k

13%

$100–150k

19%

$150–200k

$200k+

Median household income

61081

$67,586

Whiteside Co.

$67,500

Illinois

$83,390

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$38,370

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

12.2%

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

12.7%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.458

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

61081

$123,400

Whiteside Co.

$127,100

Illinois

$263,300

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

61081

$870

Whiteside Co.

$856

Illinois

$1,274

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

79%

2–4 units

11%

5–19 units

20+ units

Mobile home

0.1%

Boat, RV, van

0.5%

Housing units: 9,829
Owner-occupied: 72.8%
Vacant: 9.6%
Median year built: 1959
Median rooms: 5.8
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 46.6%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 20.7%
Home value to income: 1.8× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

79%

Carpooled

10%

Transit

0.3%

Walked

Bicycle

Worked from home

Other

0.6%

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

32%

10–19

37%

20–29

12%

30–44

45–59

60+

Average commute

19.9 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

4.1%

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

62.6%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Healthcare

14%

Transportation and moving

12%

Office and admin

11%

Production

10%

Sales

Management

Construction and repair

Education

Cleaning and personal care

Food service

Business and finance

Legal and social services

Engineering and science

Police and fire

Arts, media and sports

Computer and math

Farming, fishing and forestry

0.2%

Industries

Health care and social assistance

17%

Manufacturing

17%

Retail

13%

Education

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Public administration

Restaurants and hotels

Construction

Professional and technical services

Finance, insurance and real estate

Other services

Admin, support and management

Wholesale

Arts and recreation

Agriculture and mining

Information

0.5%

Median earnings per worker

$43,177

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

U.S. 10%

Government workers

17.5%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

10.9%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	61081	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$60,412	$74,888
Service	$24,016	$26,804
Sales and office	$32,591	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$52,740	$49,199
Production and transportation	$41,250	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

36%

Some college

25%

Associate's

10%

Bachelor's

13%

Graduate

High school graduate or higher: 93.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.2%
Graduate or professional degree: 8.9%
Households with broadband: 87.7%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 72%
No internet access: 8.2%
Without health insurance: 4.4%
Limited-English households: 0.9%

Geography

City (USPS): Sterling
State: Illinois
County: Whiteside County
Center point: 41.8500° N, 89.7394° W
Land area: 124 sq mi
Water area: 2.1 sq mi
Time zone: Central Time (UTC-6, UTC-5 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

61081 spans 2 counties

Whiteside County95% of land
Lee County5% of land

Cities and towns within this zip

Sterling5% of zip

Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.

Zip codes near 61081

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
61037	Galt, IL	4.4 mi	145	$70,357	$103,600
61071	Rock Falls, IL	8.9 mi	13,581	$60,508	$102,300
61051	Milledgeville, IL	9.3 mi	1,469	$59,565	$104,200
61091	Woosung, IL	10 mi	248	—	—
61014	Chadwick, IL	12 mi	1,067	$69,329	$103,800
61270	Morrison, IL	12 mi	6,912	$80,867	$164,600
61261	Lyndon, IL	12 mi	656	$64,375	$134,100
61064	Polo, IL	12 mi	3,757	$75,386	$164,400
61021	Dixon, IL	14 mi	22,308	$69,127	$148,500
61042	Harmon, IL	14 mi	404	$70,833	$153,600
61243	Deer Grove, IL	16 mi	155	$148,309	$172,700
61324	Eldena, IL	18 mi	97	—	—

Zip codes like 61081 elsewhere

Matched on income, home values, age, density, education, housing and commuting

Questions about 61081

What city is zip code 61081?

61081 is assigned to Sterling, Illinois. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 61081 in?

61081 is mostly in Whiteside County, but it extends into 1 other county.

What is the population of 61081?

About 20,844 people live in 61081, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 61081 in?

61081 is in Central Time.

What is the median household income in 61081?

The median household income in 61081 is $67,586.

What zip codes are near 61081?

The closest zip codes to 61081 are 61037, 61071, 61051, 61091, 61014.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 61081, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.