Sanford, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Sanford, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,416 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 699.9 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.22% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.7 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,566 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Sanford grew by 5.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 23,416 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Sanford is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.2% of residents. That is 0.8 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,962 21.2% -0.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,199 22.2% +0.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,356 18.6% -1.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,491 14.9% -2.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.6% of the people living in Sanford and men 50.4%.
- Women 49.6% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 50.4% North Carolina 48.9%
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Economy
Sanford has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,164 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.45% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Sanford is about 18% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $272,508 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,005 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Sanford is about 22.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,005 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Sanford spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 143 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.2 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.3 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 143 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,436 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,608 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,682 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Sanford is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Sanford has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.66 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Sanford has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Sanford | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.7 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.4% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.5% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Sanford, North Carolina.
How many people live in Sanford, North Carolina?
About 23,416 people live in Sanford, North Carolina, in 8,566 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 37.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Sanford, North Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Sanford, North Carolina has 700 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 8.1 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Sanford, North Carolina?
The median home costs 4.6 times the median household income ($272,508 against $59,164), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,005 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Sanford, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Sanford, North Carolina is only 3.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Sanford, North Carolina?
19.3% of adults in Sanford, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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