Mt. Sterling is located in western Illinois in Brown County (of which it is the county seat) about 35 miles from Quincy and the Mississippi River. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 1,896, a decrease of 26 since 1990.
Nearby recreation includes Siloam Springs State Park located about 10 miles to the southwest. In addition, activities on the LaMoine River are less than 10 miles to the northeast and the Illinois River is about 15 miles to the east.