Sanford, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

30,833

1.51% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

34.9

0.867% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

20.3%

5.75% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$54,294

2.54% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$222,000

20.6% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

13,912

2.38% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Sanford, NC had a population of 30.8k people with a median age of 34.9 and a median household income of $54,294. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Sanford, NC grew from 30,373 to 30,833, a 1.51% increase and its median household income grew from $52,951 to $54,294, a 2.54% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Sanford, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (41.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (22.7%), White (Hispanic) (11.3%), Two+ (Hispanic) (9.13%), and Other (Hispanic) (8.4%).

None of the households in Sanford, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

88.5% of the residents in Sanford, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Sanford, NC are Central Carolina Community College (1,151 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Sanford, NC was $222,000, and the homeownership rate was 52%.

Most people in Sanford, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23 minutes. The average car ownership in Sanford, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Lee County, NC Sanford, NC Chatham & Lee Counties PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Sanford, NC is home to a population of 30.8k people, from which 88.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 14.5% of Sanford, NC residents were born outside of the country (4.46k people).

In 2023, there were 1.82 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (12.7k people) in Sanford, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.99k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.49k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.5%

2023 Citizenship

88.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 88.5% of Sanford, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Sanford, NC was 88.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Sanford, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sanford, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
12.7k ± 862
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
6.99k ± 700
White (Hispanic)
3.49k ± 848

30.9%

Hispanic Population

9.53k people

30.9% of the people in Sanford, NC are hispanic (9.53k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Sanford, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

14.5%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.46k people

14.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

4.34k people

As of 2023, 14.5% of Sanford, NC residents (4.46k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sanford, NC was 14.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Sanford, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
414 ± 226
Gulf War (2001-)
348 ± 153
Gulf War (1990s)
262 ± 125

Sanford, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.19 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Sanford, NC employs 13.9k people. The largest industries in Sanford, NC are Manufacturing (3,094 people), Accommodation & Food Services (1,391 people), and Construction (1,346 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($84,886), Information ($79,886), and Finance & Insurance ($75,625).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

13.9k

2023 Value

± 1,035

2.38%

1 Year growth

± 10.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Sanford, NC grew at a rate of 2.38%, from 13.6k employees to 13.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sanford, NC, are Production Occupations (2,334 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,540 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,210 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sanford, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

13.9k

2023 Value

± 1,035

2.38%

1 Year growth

± 10.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Sanford, NC grew at a rate of 2.38%, from 13.6k employees to 13.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sanford, NC, are Manufacturing (3,094 people), Accommodation & Food Services (1,391 people), and Construction (1,346 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sanford, NC, though some of these residents may live in Sanford, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,943

Median earning men ± $3,543

$32,319

Median earning women ± $3,286

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($172,614), Public Administration ($76,250), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($74,145).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Construction ($90,900), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($46,461), and Public Administration ($43,239).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Education

In 2022, universities in Sanford, NC awarded 1,151 degrees. The student population of Sanford, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,833 male students and 3,398 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Sanford, NC are White (648 and 56.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (240 and 21%), Black or African American (185 and 16.2%), and Two or More Races (26 and 2.27%).

The largest universities in Sanford, NC by number of degrees awarded are Central Carolina Community College (1,151 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Sanford, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (301 and 26.2%), General Business Administration & Management (63 and 5.47%), and Welding Technology (51 and 4.43%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 5,231 students enrolled in Sanford, NC, 35% men and 65% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,645 records, of which 62.5% were women and 37.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
301 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
37 degrees awarded
Early Childhood Education & Teaching
19 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Sanford, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 301 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Sanford, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Central Carolina Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,151 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Central Carolina Community College with 1,151 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 466 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Sanford, NC, which is 0.68 times less than the 685 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 648 degrees mean that there were 2.7 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 240 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($122) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,460) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Sanford, NC was $222,000 in 2023, which is 0.732 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $184,100 to $222,000, a 20.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Sanford, NC is 52%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Sanford, NC have an average commute time of 23 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sanford, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Sanford, NC is $54,294. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Sanford, NC was Census Tract 301.02 with a value of $103,149, followed by Census Tract 306.01 and Census Tract 305.02, with respective values of $101,917 and $83,000.

Housing

Property

$222,000

Median Property Value 2023

±$13,617

$5,842

Median Property Taxes

±$611

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Sanford, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Sanford, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

52%

Homeownership

2023

64.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 52% of the housing units in Sanford, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 51.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Sanford, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 301.02
Census Tract 306.01
Census Tract 305.02

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Sanford, NC was Census Tract 301.02 with a value of $103,149, followed by Census Tract 306.01 and Census Tract 305.02, with respective values of $101,917 and $83,000.

The following map shows all of the places in Sanford, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$54,294

Median Household Income

± $3,433

11.2k

Number of Households

± 894

In 2023, the median household income of the 11.2k households in Sanford, NC grew to $54,294 from the previous year's value of $52,951.

The following chart displays the households in Sanford, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sanford, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.2%)
Carpooled (13.8%)
Worked At Home (5.69%)

In 2023, 78.2% of workers in Sanford, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.8%) and those who worked at home (5.69%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sanford, NC have a shorter commute time (23 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 0.68% of the workforce in Sanford, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Sanford, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Sanford, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Sanford, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sanford, NC (6.11k out of 30.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Sanford, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

84.3% of the population of Sanford, NC has health coverage, with 36.2% on employee plans, 23.7% on Medicaid, 9.81% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 2.35% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lee County, NC see 1641 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.37% decrease from the previous year (1716 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2004 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 521 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Lee County, NC.

1,641 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lee County, NC

Primary care physicians in Lee County, NC see an average of 1,641 patients per year. This represents a 4.37% decrease from the previous year (1,716 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lee County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 29.2% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 35.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 14% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

15.7%

Uninsured

36.2%

Employer Coverage

23.7%

Medicaid

9.81%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

2.35%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sanford, NC declined by 9.9% from 17.4% to 15.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Sanford, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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