Sterling, IL has safety grade D, a population of about 14,774, an overall crime rate near 948 per 100k as of 2026. For real estate investors, safety is only half the picture: pair these crime statistics with rental demand and returns to judge whether Sterling, IL is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for Sterling, IL for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
Sterling, IL Crime Rate and Safety Report
Sterling, IL crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 3.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 5.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
Safety Score
D
High Risk
Violent Crime Rate
3.00
per 1000 residents
Safety Analysis & Recommendations
View DetailsOverall Assessment
Sterling, IL demonstrates excellent safety with a A+ safety rating. The area maintains low crime rates and is considered very safe for residents and visitors.
Safety Recommendations
With property crimes being more prevalent (50.7% of total incidents), residents should secure their homes and vehicles, install security systems, and maintain good lighting around their properties.
Trend Analysis
The relatively low crime count of 140 incidents suggests Sterling maintains good community safety standards.
Comparison Insights
Sterling demonstrates crime rates well below national averages, showcasing effective community safety initiatives.
Sterling, IL Crime Analysis
Based on the provided crime data for the area represented by GEOID 16000US1772546, a total of 140 crimes were recorded. The most prevalent main category is property crime, accounting for 71 incidents. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most frequent, with 45 incidents, followed by destruction/damage/vandalism of property at 15 incidents. Motor vehicle theft accounts for 4 incidents, burglary/breaking & entering for 6 incidents, and stolen property offenses for 1 incident. Assault is the second most common main category, with 44 incidents, all classified as assault offenses. The "others" category, consisting solely of fraud offenses, accounts for 18 incidents. Sex offenses are relatively low, with 5 incidents, all classified as kidnapping/abduction. Homicide and robbery are the least frequent, each with only 1 incident classified as homicide offenses and robbery, respectively. To provide a more comprehensive analysis, additional information is needed. The GEOID "16000US1772546" represents the place called "Urbana city, Illinois". To fully assess the safety and crime situation in Urbana, Illinois, the following data points are essential: **Population:** Knowing the population of Urbana is crucial for calculating crime rates per 100,000 residents, which allows for standardized comparisons with other cities. **Median Income:** Socioeconomic factors, such as median income, can correlate with crime rates. Understanding the economic context of Urbana is important. **Crime Rate per 100k:** This is a standardized measure of crime frequency, calculated by dividing the total number of crimes by the population and multiplying by 100,000. **Safety Score/Grade:** A safety score or grade, often provided by third-party organizations, offers a relative assessment of safety compared to other locations. **Violent Crime Rate:** This rate specifically focuses on violent crimes (assault, homicide, robbery, sex offenses) per 100,000 residents. In this dataset, violent crimes total 51 incidents. **Property Crime Rate:** This rate focuses on property crimes (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson) per 100,000 residents. In this dataset, property crimes total 71 incidents. **Crime Map Data:** Visual representations of crime locations can reveal patterns and hotspots within Urbana. **Zip Codes Data:** Crime data broken down by zip code can provide more localized insights. Without this additional information, it's difficult to provide a complete picture of crime and safety in Urbana, Illinois. However, based on the provided data alone, property crime and assault are the most significant concerns.
County Crime Map
Crime Map
Green markers indicate safer areas, red markers indicate high crime areas. Blue markers show the currently selected zip code.
Safest Zip Codes
High Crime Zip Codes
60602
0
Safety109.3
Per 1K109
Total Crimes62523
0
Safety105.4
Per 1K105
Total Crimes60603
0
Safety100.7
Per 1K101
Total Crimes60604
0
Safety101.3
Per 1K101
Total CrimesRelated analysis for Sterling, IL
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for Sterling, IL.
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Nearby zip codes
FAQ about crime in Sterling, IL
Crime rates are normalized per 1,000 residents based on reported incidents in FBI UCR and local agency feeds. We split incidents into violent, property, and other categories so you can see where the risk concentrates.
The “Safest Zip Codes” section above ranks nearby zip codes by safety score, while the “High Crime Zip Codes” section highlights areas with elevated reported crime in Sterling, IL.
Crime data is refreshed on a rolling basis as updated reports are published by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and partnering agencies.
Combine this crime report with the market overview for Sterling, IL and the school report linked in the “Related analysis” section to assess both safety and investment fundamentals.
Data sources & further reading
PulseReal’s analysis is built on top of these public, authoritative datasets.
Official UCR crime statistics by state and agency from the FBI.
Population, demographics, housing, and income data from the US Census Bureau.
Encyclopedic overview of the city, history, and notable landmarks.
Housing affordability, fair-market rents, and market reports from HUD.
Local unemployment and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics publications on US crime victimization.
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