United States › Maine › Sanford CITY
Sanford Maine · 22,663 residents (2025 est.) · 47.8 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 22,247 people, Sanford is a city in Maine. The population has more than doubled since 2000, adding 12,114 people. About 25% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 4%. The median age is 42.1, about 3 years above the US median. 71% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 74%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,133 in 2000
22,663 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
466 / sq mi
+106%since 2009
from 226 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 12K 16K 20K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanford Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,524
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,881 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,002 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.423 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$280,200
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,152
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 52.6% in 2000
28.8% rent
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.41 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 49.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.9%(9,619)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(130)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.5%(19,691)
Hispanic / Latino 2.5%(546)
from 20 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 75.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.1%(3,000)
Women 15+
Never married 27.6%(2,669)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 31.8%(517)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.8%(404)
Share of the 1,626 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Sanford Head to head
Compare Sanford to nearby cities SANFORD VS
Somersworth
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SANFORD VS
Rochester
Income $80,836 +11%
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SANFORD VS
Dover
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Home value $436,700 +56%
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SANFORD VS
Biddeford
Income $72,333 same
Home value $396,600 +42%
Population 22,399 −1%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanford, Maine? Sanford, Maine has about 22,247 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanford, Maine? The typical household in Sanford, Maine earns about $72,524 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sanford, Maine expensive? In Sanford, Maine, the median home is worth about $280,200, and the typical rent is about $1,152 a month.
How educated are people in Sanford, Maine? About 24.8% of adults age 25 and over in Sanford, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sanford, Maine? About 10.3% of people in Sanford, Maine live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sanford, Maine grown since 1990? Yes, Sanford, Maine has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,951 residents, a change of about 116 percent over that period.
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