Sanford, North Carolina
Among the top 13% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 38% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 40% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 35% of US places
- top 7% for park & nature access
- bottom 12% for school quality
Sanford is a mid-size city in North Carolina with about 30,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include park & nature access, airport distance, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on property crime and school quality.
Official websitesanfordnc.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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68%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in3.2 in
muggy 74%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$53k33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 40% of US places
Home Value$184k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$918better than 49% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 46% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.14%better than 42% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.77%better than 38% of US places
Unemployment5.7%better than 34% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.9 in66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.4 inbetter than 73% of US places
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 49% of US places
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 14% of US places
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk58.2better than 60% of US places
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 45% of US places
School Quality38.0better than 12% of US places
Violent Crime927/100kbetter than 39% of US places
Property Crime2442/100kbetter than 12% of US places
Community
Population30,37395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.621st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6194th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9747th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1541st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)40.4%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)25.3%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)30.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 67% of US places
Walkability7.8/20better than 72% of US places
Airport Distance34 mibetter than 79% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access69.7%better than 14% of US places
Amenities Nearby23.38better than 24% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sanford an affordable place to live?
- Sanford is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 40% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Sanford?
- The median home value in Sanford is $184k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Sanford?
- Median household income in Sanford is $53k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Sanford?
- Median gross rent in Sanford is $918 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Sanford safe?
- Sanford is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 927/100k (better than 39%). Property crime is 2442/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sanford?
- Sanford averages 79°F in July and 41°F in January, with 46.9 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sanford?
- Public-school quality in Sanford is below average, scoring better than 12% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Sanford?
- The average one-way commute in Sanford is 23 min.
Places near Sanford
Compare Sanford
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)