United States › Sanford MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Sanford Micro Sanford, NC · 1 counties · 63,285 residents · 255 sq mi
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The short version
Sanford is a metro area of 63,285 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Growth has run 29% since 2000, or 14,245 more people. The typical home is worth $145,600, having risen by half since 2000. Median rent is $800 a month. Median household income is $52,294, under the $66,278 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth 248 / sq mi
+29%since 2000
from 192 / sq mi in 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
39K 46K 54K 61K 68K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanford Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $52,294
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,900 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $19,147 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 3.9%
Public administration 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
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$145,600
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$800
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 71.7% in 2000
32.9% rent
from 2.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 66.2%(32,467)
Hispanic / Latino 11.7%(5,715)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 57%(36,055)
Hispanic / Latino 20.7%(13,122)
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
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 76.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 79.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 65.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 19.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.4%(1,107)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.7%(954)
Share of the 4,195 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 +27%
Home value $379,000 +160%
Population 67,141 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANFORD VS
Bloomsburg
Income $64,644 +24%
Home value $206,200 +42%
Population 66,193 −6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANFORD VS
Auburn
Income $67,904 +30%
Home value $171,000 +17%
Population 74,365 +6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANFORD VS
Aberdeen
Income $64,414 +23%
Home value $314,000 +116%
Population 78,144 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanford, NC? Sanford, NC has about 63,285 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanford, NC? The typical household in Sanford, NC earns about $52,294 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 $145,600, and the typical rent is about $800 a month.
How educated are people in Sanford, NC? About 20.5% 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 16.3% 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 21,911 residents, a change of about 53 percent over that period.
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