Sterling: Economy & Jobs
$123,303 is the median household income in Sterling (1.5× below Loudoun County median $181,765; 1.3× higher than Virginia median $93,170), with homes at a median value of $526,000. The surrounding county supports 198,113 jobs (avg $84,788).
- $150,102 avg taxable income per return — higher than the median household income (vs Virginia $92,983).
Income & Affordability
Median household income $123,303 — above the Virginia median ($92,968). Poverty rate 8.0% (U.S. average ~12.5%). 39% of renters spend more than half their income on rent ("severely cost-burdened" by HUD definition; U.S. ~24%).
| Affordability · Home Price To Income | 4.3× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Home Affordability | moderate |
| Affordability · Rent Pct Income | 19.3% |
| Affordability · Rent Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Pct Severely Rent Burdened | 38.6% |
| Affordability · Poverty Rate | 8.0% |
| Affordability · Property Tax Pct Income | 3.6% |
| Irs Income · IRS tax returns filed | $209,920 |
| Irs Income · Total Adjusted Gross Income (thousands) | $31,509,369 |
| Irs Income · Average AGI per return | $150,102 (vs Virginia $92,983) |
| Irs Income · Year | 2022 |
| Income Estimate | $143,297 |
| Median Household Income | $123,303 (vs Virginia $92,968) |
| Poverty Rate | 8.0% |
Sources: IRS SOI 2022 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Economic Character
Qualitative classification derived from Census occupation, industry, and income data — workforce composition (white-collar/blue-collar), top employing sector, and income tier.
| Economic Character · Workforce | mixed |
|---|---|
| Economic Character · Top Industry | Professional |
| Economic Character · Income Level | affluent |
| Economic Character · Median Income | $123,303 |
Employment & Workforce
Employment + workforce stats. The county-level employment count covers all jobs within the county, not just town residents. Unemployment rate 2.8% — below the U.S. average of ~4%. 16% work from home (U.S. average ~15%).
| Commuter Profile · Mean Commute Min | 24.20 |
|---|---|
| Commuter Profile · Work From Home Pct | 15.7% |
| Commuter Profile · Profile | short commute |
| Employment · Avg annual employment (county) | 198,113 |
| Employment · Total annual wages (county) | $16,797,557,986 |
| Employment · Average annual pay | $84,788 |
| Employment · Year | 2024 |
| State Occupation Wages · Year | 2023 |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Soc Code | 00-0000 |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Title | All Occupations |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Employment | 3,981,130 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% (vs Virginia 2.9%) |
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Industry Sectors
Major industries by establishment count from Census County Business Patterns (2022). Sectors are NAICS-coded; counts are county-wide employer establishments.
| Agriculture · Total Farms | 343 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture · Land In Farms Acres | 33,977 |
| Agriculture · Avg Farm Size Acres | 99.10 |
| Agriculture · Top Commodities | Crop Totals, Horticulture Totals, Fruit & Tree Nut Totals, Animal Totals, Grain |
| Agriculture · Year | 2022 |
| Business Patterns · Establishments (employer count) | 12,194 |
| Business Patterns · Total Employees | 182,301 |
| Business Patterns · Annual Payroll Thousands | 12,922,429 |
| Business Patterns · Year | 2022 |
Sources: USDA NASS Census 2022 — county FIPS matched · Census CBP API — county FIPS match
Local Business Mix
Retail and service businesses by category (Census CBP NAICS-coded). Counts cover the surrounding county, not just the town. Reflects the everyday commercial mix residents can access.
| Local Businesses · Grocery Stores | 59 |
|---|---|
| Local Businesses · Convenience Stores | 25 |
| Local Businesses · Liquor Stores | 22 |
| Local Businesses · Gas Stations | 66 |
| Local Businesses · Department Stores | 4 |
| Local Businesses · General Merchandise | 18 |
| Local Businesses · Clothing Stores | 55 |
| Local Businesses · Pet Stores | 16 |
Sources: Census CBP — NAICS detail codes
Dining Scene
Eating + drinking establishments by NAICS category (Census CBP 2022) — full-service restaurants, fast-food, bars, coffee shops. County-level counts.
| Dining Scene · Full Service Restaurants | 337 |
|---|---|
| Dining Scene · Fast Food | 314 |
| Dining Scene · Bars | 14 |
| Dining Scene · Coffee Snacks | 83 |
Sources: Census CBP NAICS 722
Banking
FDIC-insured bank branches with addresses. Branch density correlates with population — fewer branches per resident in lower-density areas.
Branches (14)
SNAP & Food Access
USDA-authorized SNAP retailers — supermarkets, super stores, convenience stores, and other locations where SNAP benefits can be redeemed. Per-1K density tracks food access.
Sample (5)
| Nearest Snap · Name | 7-Eleven Inc F 16385A |
|---|---|
| Nearest Snap · Total In Area | 61 |
Chamber of Commerce
IRS-registered chamber of commerce organizations matched to this town. Reflects the IRS Exempt Organizations BMF; some chambers operate informally and may not appear here.
| Chamber Of Commerce · Name | CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LOUDOUN COUNTY |
|---|
Sources: IRS EO BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Spending & Tax
Federal spending flowing to the surrounding county — direct payments, grants, contracts, loans (USAspending.gov).
| Federal Spending · Federal Spending Fy2024 | $5,327,144,114 |
|---|---|
| Federal Spending · Per Capita | 12,654.78 (vs Virginia $14,580) |
| Federal Spending · Population | 420,959 people (vs Virginia 42,214) |
Sources: USAspending API
Other
| Pct Drove Alone | 59.9% |
|---|---|
| Pct Public Transit | 0.7% |
| Pct Walked | 15.7% |
| Retirement Score · Median age | 35.3 years (vs Virginia 37.8y) |
| Retirement Score · Ss Household Pct | 22.8% |
| Retirement Score · Hospitals Nearby | 2 |
| Retirement Score · Va Access | Yes |
| Retirement Score · Factors | hospital access, VA nearby |
| Retirement Score · Rating | fair |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12