Sanford, NC Profile: Facts & Data

The City of Sanford had a population of 32,360 as of July 1, 2024. Sanford ranks in the upper quartile for Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in North Carolina. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Sanford is located at latitude 35.4799 and longitude -79.1803 in Lee County. The formal boundaries for the City of Sanford encompass a land area of 26.69 sq. miles and a water area of 0.25 sq. miles. Lee County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

The City of Sanford has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Sanford, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	32,360 (100%)
Population in Households	31,484 (97.3%)
Population in Families	25,124 (77.6%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	876 ( 2.7%)
Population Density	1,025
Diversity Index²	81


INCOME
Median Household Income	$51,942
Average Household Income	$74,855
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	32%
Per Capita Income	$28,752
Wealth Index⁵	60
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Low (42.0)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	13,556 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	6,958 (51.3%)
Renter Occupied HU	5,451 (40.2%)
Vacant Housing Units	1,147 ( 8.5%)
Median Home Value	$261,726
Average Home Value	$283,709
Housing Affordability Index³	78

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	12,409
Average Household Size	2.54
Family Households	8,078
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Sanford, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Sanford to the other 777 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in North Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	1.39%	0.93%
Households	1.76%	1.32%
Families		1.14%
Median Household Income		2.58%
Per Capita Income		3.22%
Owner Occupied HU		2.16%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 34	96th
Population Density	# 211	73rd
Median Household Income	# 517	34th
Housing Affordability Index	# 165	21st
Per Capita Income	# 505	35th
Diversity Index	# 25	97th

Sanford, NC Profile: Facts & Data

Sanford, North Carolina - Basic Facts

Sanford, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Sanford, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

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