Sanford

Population: 30,833
Median household income: $54,294
Median home value: $222,000

Located in Lee County, North Carolina, Sanford is a community with a population of 30,833. The median household income of $54,294 is below the Lee County median ($63,060).

Between 2019 and 2023, Sanford's population grew 4.7% from 29,456 to 30,833, while its median home value rose 56.1% from $142,200 to $222,000.

20.3% of residents live below the poverty line. Households average 2.67 people.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 30,833
Median age: 34.9 yrs
Median household income: $54,294
Median home value: $222,000
Median gross rent: $965
Housing units: 12,364
Homeownership rate: 52.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.4%
Unemployment rate: 4.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

29,45630,833

Median household income

$46,915$54,294

Median home value

$142,200$222,000

Median gross rent

$753$965

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	29,456	$46,915	$142,200	$753
2020	29,758	$47,017	$144,900	$780
2021	30,024	$51,311	$150,600	$825
2022	30,373	$52,951	$184,100	$918
2023	30,833	$54,294	$222,000	$965

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.9%

5 to 1720.6%

18 to 249.3%

25 to 3413.4%

35 to 4413.4%

45 to 5412.1%

55 to 649.8%

65 to 748.6%

75 and over6.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,120	6.9%
5 to 17	6,347	20.6%
18 to 24	2,864	9.3%
25 to 34	4,142	13.4%
35 to 44	4,121	13.4%
45 to 54	3,732	12.1%
55 to 64	3,014	9.8%
65 to 74	2,648	8.6%
75 and over	1,845	6.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	12,699	41.2%
Black or African American	6,994	22.7%
American Indian & Alaska Native	46	0.1%
Asian	413	1.3%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	24	0.1%
Two or more races	1,131	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	9,526	30.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma20.4%

High school graduate23.5%

Some college or associate's33.7%

Bachelor's degree15.8%

Graduate or professional degree6.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,984	20.4%
High school graduate	4,589	23.5%
Some college or associate's	6,568	33.7%
Bachelor's degree	3,082	15.8%
Graduate or professional degree	1,279	6.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone78.2%

Carpooled13.8%

Public transit0.0%

Walked1.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.7%

Other means1.1%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	10,734	78.2%
Carpooled	1,895	13.8%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	173	1.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	781	5.7%
Other means	146	1.1%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	5,044	39.0%
15 to 29 min	3,403	26.3%
30 to 44 min	2,216	17.1%
45 to 59 min	1,244	9.6%
60+ min	1,041	8.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.67
Poverty rate: 20.3% (6,106 of 30,112)

	Count	Share
Family households	7,613	67.7%
Nonfamily households	3,624	32.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1986

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	11,237	90.9%
Vacant	1,127	9.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,842	52.0%
Renter-occupied	5,395	48.0%

1-unit, detached62.9%

1-unit, attached1.1%

2 to 4 units13.3%

5 to 19 units14.2%

20 or more units3.8%

Mobile home & other4.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	7,780	62.9%
1-unit, attached	130	1.1%
2 to 4 units	1,646	13.3%
5 to 19 units	1,755	14.2%
20 or more units	474	3.8%
Mobile home & other	579	4.7%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3759280
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 33 sq mi
Water area: 0.28 sq mi
Center point: 35.4938, -79.1765