Apex vs Sanford
Apex, North Carolina versus Sanford, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Apex edges out Sanford on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Apex | Sanford |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $130k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $48k |
| Home Value | $458k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $918 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.77% | 1.14% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.55% | 10.77% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.3 in | 46.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8 in | 2.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 23.5 | 58.2 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 38.0 |
| Violent Crime | 592/100k | 927/100k |
| Property Crime | 1148/100k | 2442/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 65,541 | 30,373 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+27 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 66.3% | 40.4% |
| Black (%) | 7.7% | 25.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 30.1% |
| Asian (%) | 14.8% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 9.5/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 34 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.5% | 69.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.73 | 23.38 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Apex or Sanford more affordable?
- Sanford has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Apex's $64k and Sanford's $48k. Median rent is $2k in Apex versus $918 in Sanford.
- Is Apex or Sanford safer?
- Apex has the lower violent crime rate. Apex reports 592/100k and Sanford reports 927/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Apex or Sanford?
- The median home value is $458k in Apex and $184k in Sanford, so homes are more affordable in Sanford.