Sanford is a metro area of 65,816 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. Growth has run 34% since 2000, or 16,776 more people. The typical home is worth $240,200, having more than doubled since 2000. Median rent is $1,017 a month. Median household income is $65,387, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $65,387, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Sanford
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share1.5% → 21.7%(+20.2 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree14.3% → 21.3%(+7.1 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Homes owned by their occupants72.6% → 67.3%(−5.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Among the 38 metro and micro areas based in North Carolina
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)33.6%(1,206)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)33%(1,183)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era25.9%(930)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.9%(68)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,590 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
41,374
$63,407
$145,924
14.3%
48.3
2000
49,040
$70,862
$163,038
17.2%
63.3
2010
57,866
$63,470
$183,849
18.0%
72.0
2020
63,285
$63,382
$176,473
20.5%
75.4
2024
65,816
$65,387
$240,200
21.3%
76.3
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.
