Sterling, Alaska
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Sterling, Alaska
|settlement_type = Census-designated place
|nickname =
|motto =
|image_skyline =
|imagesize =
|image_caption =
|image_flag =
|image_seal =
| image_map = Sterling_Municipal_Map.png
| map_caption = Location in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = Alaska
|subdivision_type2 = Borough
|subdivision_name2 = Kenai Peninsula
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title = Borough mayor
|leader_name = Peter Micciche
|leader_title1 = State senator
|leader_name1 = Jesse Bjorkman (R)
|leader_title2 = State rep.
|leader_name2 = Ben Carpenter (R)
|established_title =
|established_date =
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 = 206.26
|area_land_km2 = 201.45
|area_water_km2 = 4.81
|area_total_sq_mi = 79.64
|area_land_sq_mi = 77.78
|area_water_sq_mi = 1.86
|population_as_of = 2020
|population_footnotes =
|population_total = 5918
|population_density_km2 = 29.38
|population_density_sq_mi = 76.09
|timezone = Alaska (AKST)
|utc_offset = -9
|timezone_DST = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST = -8
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 67
|elevation_ft = 220
|coordinates = {{coord|60|31|47|N|150|47|52|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type = ZIP code
|postal_code = 99672
|area_code = 907
|blank_name = FIPS code
|blank_info = 02-73070
|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
|blank1_info = 1414063
|website =
|footnotes =
|pop_est_as_of =
|pop_est_footnotes =
|population_est =
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
Sterling is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 5,918, up from 5,617 in 2010.{{cite web|url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html|title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places|format = Web|publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development|access-date = October 31, 2021}} Sterling is the tenth-most populated CDP in Alaska.
Geography
Sterling is located on the western side of the Kenai Peninsula at {{Coord|60|31|47|N|150|47|52|W|type:city}} (60.529635, -150.797887).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} It is bordered to the west by Ridgeway, to the southwest by Soldotna, and to the south by Funny River. Soldotna Creek forms the western boundary of the community, and the Kenai River forms the southern boundary.
Alaska Route 1, the Sterling Highway, runs through the community, leading southwest {{convert|11|mi}} to the center of Soldotna and east {{convert|34|mi}} to Cooper Landing at the outlet of Kenai Lake. The city of Kenai is {{convert|22|mi}} to the west via Soldotna.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Sterling CDP has a total area of {{convert|206.3|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|201.4|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|4.9|km2|order=flip}}, or 2.36%, are water.
=Climate=
Sterling has a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dsc).
{{Weather box
|collapsed=Y
|open=
|metric first=
|single line= same
|width = 65%
|location= Sterling, Alaska (1954-1968 normals and extremes)
| Jan record high F = 45
| Feb record high F = 49
| Mar record high F = 50
| Apr record high F = 66
| May record high F = 71
| Jun record high F = 80
| Jul record high F = 83
| Aug record high F = 81
| Sep record high F = 69
| Oct record high F = 60
| Nov record high F = 49
| Dec record high F = 44
|Jan high F=18.4
|Feb high F=24.7
|Mar high F=32.8
|Apr high F=42.8
|May high F=54.9
|Jun high F=62.6
|Jul high F=64.7
|Aug high F=63.3
|Sep high F=54.6
|Oct high F=40.9
|Nov high F=27.5
|Dec high F=15.6
|year high F=41.9
|Jan mean F = 8.7
|Feb mean F = 13.5
|Mar mean F = 19.5
|Apr mean F = 33.0
|May mean F = 43.8
|Jun mean F = 51.3
|Jul mean F = 54.4
|Aug mean F = 53.7
|Sep mean F = 45.3
|Oct mean F = 31.9
|Nov mean F = 19.3
|Dec mean F = 7.0
|year mean F = 31.8
|Jan low F=-1.1
|Feb low F=2.3
|Mar low F=6.3
|Apr low F=23.1
|May low F=32.7
|Jun low F=40.0
|Jul low F=44.0
|Aug low F=44.1
|Sep low F=36.1
|Oct low F=24.9
|Nov low F=11.2
|Dec low F=-1.6
|year low F=21.7
| Jan record low F = -42
| Feb record low F = -47
| Mar record low F = -47
| Apr record low F = -6
| May record low F = 19
| Jun record low F = 25
| Jul record low F = 30
| Aug record low F = 24
| Sep record low F = 12
| Oct record low F = -13
| Nov record low F = -31
| Dec record low F = -41
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation inch=1.04
|Feb precipitation inch=1.14
|Mar precipitation inch=0.58
|Apr precipitation inch=1.00
|May precipitation inch=0.86
|Jun precipitation inch=1.21
|Jul precipitation inch=2.54
|Aug precipitation inch=2.98
|Sep precipitation inch=2.40
|Oct precipitation inch=1.43
|Nov precipitation inch=1.42
|Dec precipitation inch=1.45
|year precipitation inch=18.04
|snow colour=
|Jan snow inch=8.7
|Feb snow inch=14.4
|Mar snow inch=5.7
|Apr snow inch=4.2
|May snow inch=0.0
|Jun snow inch=0.0
|Jul snow inch=0.0
|Aug snow inch=0.0
|Sep snow inch=0.0
|Oct snow inch=4.4
|Nov snow inch=10.5
|Dec snow inch=13.9
|year snow inch=61.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5
|Feb precipitation days = 6
|Mar precipitation days = 4
|Apr precipitation days = 6
|May precipitation days = 7
|Jun precipitation days = 9
|Jul precipitation days = 13
|Aug precipitation days = 12
|Sep precipitation days = 13
|Oct precipitation days = 9
|Nov precipitation days = 8
|Dec precipitation days = 8
|year precipitation days = 98
}}
Demographics
{{US Census population
|1960= 115
|1970= 30
|1980= 919
|1990= 3802
|2000= 4705
|2010= 5617
|2020= 5918
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}
}}
Sterling first appeared on the 1960 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. In 1980, it was made a census-designated place (CDP).
As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 4,705 people, 1,676 households, and 1,305 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|60.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of {{convert|33.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 3.3% Alaskan Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,676 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $47,700, and the median income for a family was $53,889. Males had a median income of $45,063 versus $27,946 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,741. About 7.7% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
History
The town now known as Sterling was originally called "Naptowne" when it was first opened for settlement in 1947.{{cite web |url=http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF2/263.html |title=Naptowne Revisited, Alaska Science Forum |website=www.gi.alaska.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010721011742/http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF2/263.html |archive-date=July 21, 2001}} However, the area—which had a few homesteaders by then—acquired a post office in 1954 which was given the designation of "Sterling" after the Sterling Highway that served the area.{{gnis|1414063}}
An archaeological site, containing prehistoric Dena'ina house pits, has been discovered near Sterling, showing that the area was inhabited in prehistoric times.
The main industries around Sterling today are support for tourism and sport fishing and hunting.
Parks
Sterling is adjacent to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and also two Alaska state parks. Scout Lake State Recreation Site is a {{convert|164|acre}} day-use only park.[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/scoutlksrs.htm Scout Lake SRS] Alaska Department of Natural Resources The park has a picnic shelter and a lake stocked with rainbow trout and Arctic grayling.The Milepost, 2018 edition, page 538 {{ISBN|9781892154378}} Morgan's Landing State Recreation Area is the headquarters for Alaska State Parks on the Kenai Peninsula. The park is {{convert|279|acre}} and has a campground and one of the few public access points for bank fishing on the middle Kenai River.[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/morgldcamp.htm Morgan’s Landing SRA], Alaska Department of Natural Resources
References
{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}
{{Kenai River system}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Census-designated places in Alaska
Category:Census-designated places in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska