United States › North Carolina › Sanford CITY
Sanford North Carolina · 34,138 residents (2025 est.) · 31.6 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
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,220 in 2000
34,138 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
997 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 899 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 18K 23K 28K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanford Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,586
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,804 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,038 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.460 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Public administration 1.9%
Education & health services 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$245,400
+56%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,052
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 57.9% in 2000
46.7% rent
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.78 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 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 49.6%(11,511)
Hispanic / Latino 19%(4,419)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 41.8%(13,165)
Hispanic / Latino 30%(9,459)
from 82 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 76.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 22.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.6%(4,577)
Women 15+
Never married 32.5%(3,990)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.8% 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) 29.4%(355)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.7%(371)
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
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanford, North Carolina? Sanford, North Carolina has about 31,478 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanford, North Carolina? The typical household in Sanford, North Carolina earns about $57,586 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sanford, North Carolina expensive? In Sanford, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $245,400, and the typical rent is about $1,052 a month.
How educated are people in Sanford, North Carolina? About 21.6% of adults age 25 and over in Sanford, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sanford, North Carolina? About 22.0% of people in Sanford, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sanford, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Sanford, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,003 residents, a change of about 117 percent over that period.
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