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CITY · 2010 ACS

Sanford

North Carolina · 28,094 residents · 31.6 sq mi
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The short version

Sanford is home to 28,094 people in North Carolina. 53% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 33.3. The typical home is worth $131,800, having risen by half since 2000. The poverty rate is 21.3%, above the 13.8% national rate. About 21% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 33.3
US median: 37.2
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

28,094
+21%since 2000
from 23,220 in 2000
1990 – 2025
33.3
+1%since 2000
from 33.1 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
31.6 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K18K23K28K33K19902000201020202024Sanford
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 58.5%(2,394)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 97.7%(2,170)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 147.5%(2,114)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 197%(1,958)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(1,872)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3415%(4,203)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.5%(3,793)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5412.6%(3,543)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 649.8%(2,762)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 745.8%(1,630)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844%(1,111)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.9%(544)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$39,231
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,804 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$19,870
+17%since 2000
from $17,038 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
22.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
21.3%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.460
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade28.4%
US avg: 10.9%
Information11.2%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade7.8%
US avg: 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing4.1%
US avg: 3.1%
Finance & insurance3.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3%
US avg: 7%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$131,800
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,100 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$627
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $853
52.6%
−5.3 ptssince 2000
from 57.9% in 2000
47.4% rent
11.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.66 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.78 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
25.8%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
41.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 43.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
3.4
+1%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.6%(11,511)
Black29%(6,741)
Hispanic / Latino19%(4,419)
Asian1.1%(246)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic44.2%(12,416)
Black27.1%(7,622)
Hispanic / Latino25.6%(7,190)
Asian1.1%(301)
Other1.8%(492)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican15.4%(4,138)
Central American6.8%(1,842)
Salvadoran5.4%(1,443)
Puerto Rican1.5%(397)
Honduran1.1%(284)
Dominican0.4%(96)
Guatemalan0.2%(65)
Panamanian0.2%(50)
Spaniard0.1%(36)
Cuban0%(9)
Ancestry
English9.1%(2,436)
American7.1%(1,915)
German6.6%(1,783)
Irish4.7%(1,276)
Scottish2.7%(727)
Italian1.5%(412)
French1.1%(300)
Polish0.5%(139)
Welsh0.5%(133)
Dutch0.5%(129)
Swedish0.5%(122)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.3%(78)
Hungarian0.3%(74)
Greek0.2%(67)
Norwegian0.2%(61)
Portuguese0.2%(53)
Russian0.2%(53)
Croatian0.2%(44)
Australian0.1%(37)
Arab0.1%(33)
British0.1%(27)
Canadian0.1%(25)
Czech0.1%(22)
Swiss0.1%(22)
Jamaican0.1%(20)
Haitian0.1%(14)
Ukrainian0%(13)
Lebanese0%(11)
Syrian0%(10)
Belgian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

20.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
75.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 72.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
5.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.0 min
+23%since 2000
from 16.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
72.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 74.7% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
21.4%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
2.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
1.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
14.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
27.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

48.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
51.2%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
17.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
9.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.6%(4,577)
Married49.2%(5,833)
Widowed3.3%(387)
Divorced9%(1,069)
Women 15+
Never married32.5%(3,990)
Married44.6%(5,479)
Widowed10.1%(1,235)
Divorced12.9%(1,582)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

15.6%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
41.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 41.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.4%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
15.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
26.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
53.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
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)
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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Sanford, North Carolina?

Sanford, North Carolina has about 28,094 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Sanford, North Carolina?

The typical household in Sanford, North Carolina earns about $39,231 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 $131,800, and the typical rent is about $627 a month.

How educated are people in Sanford, North Carolina?

About 20.5% 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 21.3% 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 13,619 residents, a change of about 94 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →