| | Sterling, IL | Palestine, TX | United States |
| Population | 14,919 | 18,532 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 48.5% | 49.3% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 51.5% | 50.7% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 42.7 | 35 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 15,412 | 18,669 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 15,451 | 17,598 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 15,132 | 18,042 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | -7.4% | 1.3% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | -5.4% | -1.2% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 2,554.6 | 954.2 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 5.8 | 19.4 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.2 | 0.2 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Sterling, IL | Palestine, TX | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 4.2% | 7.2% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6.5% | 6.2% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 6.0% | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 3.5% | 4.7% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 4.4% | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 5.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 16.2% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 15.8% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 12.1% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 7.0% | 4.8% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 5.2% | 3.0% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 10.5% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 5.8% | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 4.2% | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Sterling, IL | Palestine, TX | United States |
| White | 67.1% | 47.0% | 59.4% |
| Black | 2.0% | 29.8% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 0.7% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 3.5% | 1.7% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 26.0% | 20.3% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Sterling, IL | Palestine, TX | United States |
| Married Population | 40.8% | 46.6% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 38.9% | 44.3% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 1.9% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 59.2% | 53.4% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 38.4% | 34.1% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 12.9% | 11.2% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 8.0% | 8.1% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.24 | 2.73 | 2.60 |
| Households | 6,467 | 6,673 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 3,698 | 4,527 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 20.6% | 30.6% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 40.6% | 32.0% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 2,769 | 2,146 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 30.0% | 21.0% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 8.9% | 16.4% | 10.8% |