MICROPOLITAN AREA
Sanford Micro
Sanford, NC · 1 counties · 70,258 residents (2025 est.) · 255.068 sq mi
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#41Fastest growingof 918+11.0%The short version
Sanford has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $65,387. Population has grown 34% since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $240,200.
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
PEP 2025 EST:70,258 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)
Population, 1990 – 2024
202466K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(4,014)
5 to 96.2%(4,049)
10 to 147.3%(4,805)
15 to 196.3%(4,169)
20 to 246.1%(4,013)
25 to 3412.8%(8,415)
35 to 4412.4%(8,192)
45 to 5412.4%(8,192)
55 to 6413.2%(8,684)
65 to 7410.3%(6,798)
75 to 845%(3,290)
85 and over1.8%(1,195)
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
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
43.2%
+17.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.6%
Information10.7%
Wholesale trade9.8%
Finance & insurance6.2%
Professional, scientific, technical4.7%
Other services3.5%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
Public administration1.9%
Education & health services1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
Construction0.7%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$240,200
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.7
+23%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
41
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Sanford on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic66.2%(32,467)
Black20.4%(9,982)
Hispanic / Latino11.7%(5,715)
Asian0.7%(323)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic55.8%(36,695)
Black17.2%(11,333)
Hispanic / Latino21.7%(14,286)
Asian0.9%(579)
Other4.4%(2,923)
76
+12%since 2009
from 68 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
35
−17%since 2020
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
Mexican13%(8,530)
Central American5.4%(3,539)
Salvadoran2.3%(1,514)
Puerto Rican2%(1,297)
Guatemalan1.5%(980)
Honduran1.3%(846)
South American0.4%(267)
Panamanian0.2%(162)
Dominican0.2%(152)
Spaniard0.2%(150)
Cuban0.2%(107)
Venezuelan0.1%(78)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ancestry
English11.2%(7,386)
German7.5%(4,915)
Irish7%(4,601)
American4.5%(2,986)
Italian2.6%(1,694)
Scottish2.6%(1,682)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(1,406)
Dutch1.6%(1,064)
Polish1.4%(901)
French1.3%(875)
Norwegian0.7%(481)
Subsaharan African0.6%(405)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.6%(369)
Arab0.4%(294)
Swedish0.4%(271)
British0.4%(258)
French Canadian0.4%(248)
Danish0.3%(223)
Czech0.3%(206)
West Indian0.3%(204)
Russian0.3%(170)
Romanian0.2%(137)
Haitian0.2%(120)
Swiss0.1%(95)
Portuguese0.1%(92)
Nigerian0.1%(87)
Lithuanian0.1%(55)
Turkish0.1%(43)
Moroccan0.1%(38)
Jamaican0.1%(37)
Hungarian0.1%(34)
Belgian0%(32)
Latvian0%(26)
Canadian0%(25)
Egyptian0%(24)
Brazilian0%(22)
Austrian0%(19)
Greek0%(19)
Lebanese0%(18)
Finnish0%(14)
Cape Verdean0%(14)
Croatian0%(12)
Slovak0%(7)
Slovene0%(6)
Syrian0%(3)
Israeli0%(3)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
84.9%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 76.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Section 08
People & community
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.4%(8,361)
Married54.2%(14,001)
Widowed3.8%(971)
Divorced9.7%(2,508)
Women 15+
Never married28.2%(7,654)
Married48.7%(13,194)
Widowed10.3%(2,791)
Divorced12.8%(3,468)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024