Sanford is home to 31,478 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. Growth has run 36% since 2000, or 8,258 more people. This skews young, with a median age of 34.7. Owners hold 53% of the housing stock. The poverty rate is 22.0%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $57,586, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 56%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Sanford
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share1.6% → 30.0%(+28.4 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Population14,475 → 31,478(+117%)US over the same years: +35%
Black share35.0% → 23.1%(−11.9 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
Its weight in Lee County
Sanford's population equals 48% of Lee County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 72% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 67% of the county's.
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)29.4%(355)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.7%(371)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era25.9%(313)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(30)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,209 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Sanford, decade by decade
Sanford population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,475
$50,893
$124,804
14.8%
61.1
2000
23,220
$63,401
$156,845
18.6%
79.2
2010
28,094
$56,437
$189,604
20.5%
83.1
2020
30,261
$56,986
$175,624
21.3%
85.7
2024
31,478
$57,586
$245,400
21.6%
85.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
