Sign In Register

Sanford, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Lee County County

2.9 /5.0
C+ Fair
30,833 Population 929/sq mi density
$54,294 Median Income $28,775 per capita
$222,000 Home Value $286,734 Zillow
$965 Median Rent 30.1% income on rent
61°F Avg Temperature 310 sunny days/yr
265 Violent Crime/100K 3,402 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.9 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.4 / 5.0
$54,294 median income, 2.5% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.4 / 5.0
$222,000 home value, $965/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
265 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.8 / 5.0
22.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Sanford, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$54,294
28% below
$28,775 per capita
Home Value
$222,000
21% below
Zillow: $286,734
Median Rent
$965/mo
17% below
30.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
265/100K
30% below
3,402/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
22.4%
34% below
79.6% high school+
Unemployment
2.5%
31% below
16.8% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.8%
24% above
17.0% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
61°F
310 sunny days/yr

How Sanford Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Sanford's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
72%
Home Value
79%
Rent
83%
Poverty
135%
Bachelor's
66%
Unemployment
69%
Crime
70%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Sanford a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.9 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Sanford residents earn a median household income of $54,294 , which is 28% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $28,775. The unemployment rate stands at 2.5% (31% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 16.8% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,866 business establishments, including 137 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Sanford is $222,000 , 21% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $286,734. Median rent is $965/month, with 30.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.3 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1984.

Safety & Crime

Sanford reports 265 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 30% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 3,402/100K. The murder rate is 20.1/100K.

Education

22.4% of adults in Sanford hold a bachelor's degree or higher (34% below the national average). 79.6% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Sanford has an average annual temperature of 61°F (16°C). Winters average 42°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 310 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 47.8 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population30,833
Median Age34.9 yrs
Density929/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans6.0%

Economy

B
Median Income$54,294
Per Capita$28,775
Unemployment2.5%
Poverty16.8%
County GDP$4,261M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,117

Housing

A
Home Value$222,000
Rent$965
Ownership52.0%
Zillow$286,734
Housing Units12,057
Rent Burden30.1%

Crime

F
Violent265/100K
Property3,402/100K
Murder20.1/100K
Assault124/100K
Burglary695/100K

Health

Obesity39.8%
Diabetes13.4%
Smoking17.0%
Heart Disease6.4%
Premature Death12,122/100K

Climate

Avg Temp61°F
Sunny Days310/yr
Rain47.8 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation404 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+22.4%
High School+79.6%
Graduate+5.9%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 58% / D 41%
Commute23 min
Broadband72.2%
Internet Speed162 Mbps
EV Stations6
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Sanford was built in 1984.
The nearest airport is Raleigh-Durham International (34 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.431 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
15.7% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 162 Mbps.
There are 137 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 15 fatal vehicle crashes.