United States › Sanford MICROPOLITAN AREA
Sanford Micro Sanford, NC · 1 counties · 70,258 residents (2025 est.) · 255 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 49,040 in 2000
70,258 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
258 / sq mi
+34%since 2000
from 192 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
39K 46K 54K 61K 68K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanford Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,387
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,900 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,147 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.419 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Public administration 1.9%
Education & health services 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
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$240,200
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,017
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.7% in 2000
32.7% rent
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 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 66.2%(32,467)
Hispanic / Latino 11.7%(5,715)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 55.8%(36,695)
Hispanic / Latino 21.7%(14,286)
from 68 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 42 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 81.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 16.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.4%(8,361)
Women 15+
Never married 28.2%(7,654)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.3% 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) 33.6%(1,206)
Gulf War (1990s) 33%(1,183)
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.
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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Sanford Head to head
Compare Sanford side by side SANFORD VS
Cedar City
Income $66,247 +1%
Home value $379,000 +58%
Population 67,141 −4%
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SANFORD VS
Bloomsburg
Income $64,644 −1%
Home value $206,200 −14%
Population 66,193 −6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANFORD VS
Auburn
Income $67,904 +4%
Home value $171,000 −29%
Population 74,365 +6%
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SANFORD VS
Aberdeen
Income $64,414 −1%
Home value $314,000 +31%
Population 78,144 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanford, NC? Sanford, NC has about 65,816 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanford, NC? The typical household in Sanford, NC earns about $65,387 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sanford, NC expensive? In Sanford, NC, the median home is worth about $240,200, and the typical rent is about $1,017 a month.
How educated are people in Sanford, NC? About 21.3% of adults age 25 and over in Sanford, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sanford, NC? About 16.5% of people in Sanford, NC live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sanford, NC grown since 1990? Yes, Sanford, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,442 residents, a change of about 59 percent over that period.
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