| | Sterling, KS | Salina, KS | United States |
| Population | 2,496 | 46,896 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 49.6% | 50.3% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 50.4% | 49.7% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 27.5 | 38.6 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 2,344 | 47,927 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 2,642 | 45,679 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 2,115 | 42,303 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | -17.6% | 1.3% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 2.9% | 9.4% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 1,393.6 | 1,822.1 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 1.8 | 25.7 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.0 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Sterling, KS | Salina, KS | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 4.1% | 6.0% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6.3% | 6.6% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 7.8% | 6.9% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 5.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 16.8% | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 7.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 12.5% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 6.9% | 12.2% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 9.8% | 12.0% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 3.6% | 6.7% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 4.6% | 6.6% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 5.9% | 4.8% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 1.9% | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Sterling, KS | Salina, KS | United States |
| White | 87.6% | 78.2% | 59.4% |
| Black | 2.6% | 3.2% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 2.2% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 3.8% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 7.6% | 12.4% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Sterling, KS | Salina, KS | United States |
| Married Population | 42.8% | 48.9% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 42.5% | 46.8% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 0.2% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 57.2% | 51.1% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 42.6% | 30.5% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 9.2% | 14.8% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 5.4% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.56 | 2.37 | 2.60 |
| Households | 773 | 19,174 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 493 | 10,926 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 39.6% | 28.0% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 36.7% | 45.9% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 280 | 8,248 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 16.2% | 18.9% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 7.5% | 7.2% | 10.8% |