3 Apartments in Sterling, Colorado

With a history going back to Victorian railroad and wagon train days, Sterling, Colorado is a modern 21st century small town that is home to Sterling Ethanol, Colorado's first ethanol plant.

With a population of 18,211 (2013 census estimates), Sterling actually seems like a much smaller town. Maybe it's because of the old-fashioned gazebos in the parks, which seem to come right out of The Music Man (complete with Sousa playing in the background), or maybe it's because wherever you go, folks here act like they know you. Along with this small town vibe, however, Sterling has a hidden corporate underbelly; it's the home of software service giant Sykes Enterprises, as well as Sterling Ethanol, Colorado's first ethanol plant. With a rich history built on pioneer wagon train trails and Union Pacific rail lines, Sterling captivates by its ability to straddle the line between the Old West and 21st century America, without losing any of its homespun pioneer personality.

Moving to Sterling

If you're planning to look for apartments or rental homes in Sterling, make life easy for yourself and get hold of an apartments locator, which will give you an overview of available properties in a given area. You'll find a great selection of property rentals in Sterling and in this laid-back community, you might also find a number of all-bills-paid apartments, so keep an eye out for these.

Sterling is 128 miles north of Denver, so you won't be subjected to Front Range property rates up here. Be prepared to have first month's rent ready, plus a deposit. There's no real renter's season and you can expect rental prices and availability to stay consistent, but the area does get a healthy amount of snow. Consider moving during the warmer months. This is especially true if you're planning to do the move yourself, because it's not easy navigating a heavy moving van down the Interstate during one of Colorado's many winter storms.

The best way to get a real feel for this town is to head for one of its eight yes, eight parks, many with gazebos, walking trails, tennis courts and playing fields. Among the most popular are Columbine Park, which features great multi-use trails and picnic areas and Overland Trail Recreation Area, where you'll also find great trails and a cool pioneer history site, the Overland Museum. For a real wilderness experience, check out North Sterling State Park, where you can hike, canoe, fish or just camp out, watch the native eagles and the hawks and hum a John Denver song.

Neighborhoods in Sterling

Sterling is too small for traditional neighborhoods, but there are certain sections of town where you're more likely to find great rentals. Here are some places to start looking:

6th Street: This area has lovely home rentals at a variety of prices.

N Division Avenue: This is a great area to look for a house to rent and it's minutes away from lovely Probst Park, as well as stores such as Sears and JCPenney.

Evans Street: This area has some beautiful rental apartments. Pi Kappa Cino Coffee LLC and J & L Cafe are in this area.

Poplar Street: This shady bike-friendly section has a number of attractive apartments and is close to several local restaurants, including Hot Java Caf and Village Inn.

Living in Sterling

Wintertime in Sterling isn't all that bad, so don't worry about those frigid temperatures and two-foot snowfalls that are apt to occur in places like Vail and Breckenridge. January highs average around 40 (unless there's a cold front, and Colorado gets its share of them) and July temps average in the low 90s. Like many a Colorado town, Sterling only gets around 16 inches of rain a year, but you can expect an average 33 inches of snow in the winter and more during blizzard fronts.

Try to get hold of a car, a bike or a scooter if you can. Sterling has a limited bus service, Prairie Express, that travels primarily to institutions such as medical and government facilities, so you'll need your own wheels here.

When it's time to eat, join the rest of the locals at J & L Caf, where you can feast on BLTs and burgers, as well as a tasty prime rib. Another locals' favorite is Santiago's, which serves up awesome stuffed sopapillas, burritos and enchilada platters. When it's time for a drink, head over to Henry's Pub and Club, which is exactly what it sounds like: a local hangout where everyone knows your name. Even if they don't, they'll still join you in a game of pool or darts.

If you're the type who enjoys living in a small town that's just a couple of hours away from a major urban metropolis, then Sterling is for you. One of the best things about Sterling is that is has no surprises. What you see is what you get in this charming Western pioneer town and in the case of Sterling, that's a good thing.