City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Sanford, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sanford - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

228
Residents
$28,393
Median income
$162,500
Median home
$776
Median rent (state)

Sanford - the verdict

Nationally, Sanford sits in the 2nd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

2nd
percentile, household income
31st
percentile, home value
0th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sanford, AL

228 people live in Sanford, Alabama - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Sanford brings in $28,393 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 44.7%. Sanford's housing stock carries a median value of $162,500, and the median resident age is 45.5 years. About 8.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 39.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: the state registers 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $776 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 82.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

228 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$28,393 /yr

Poverty 44.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Sanford compare to other US cities?

Sanford measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 2% higher than other cities
Home value 31% pricier than other cities
Median rent 0% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sanford's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

2ndIncome percentile

2nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sanford's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$162,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Sanford $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sanford, AL Sanford, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sanford, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sanford, AL median $28,393/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sanford, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sanford, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 44.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
228
Median Income
$28,393
Median Home Value
$162,500
Median Age
45.5
Poverty Rate
44.7%
Labor force participation
39.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.2%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
252 residents254 residents256 residents258 residents260 residents262 residents 202020212022202320242025 254 residents 258 residents ▲ +1.6%
Sanford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
97.2%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
2.8%

Based on 72 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sanford sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$776/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Detroit
230 people
Delta
233 people
Nauvoo
233 people
Rutledge
223 people
Broomtown
222 people
Talladega Springs
220 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sanford's 228 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

McNeal, AZ
228 people
Long Point, IL
228 people
McNabb, IL
228 people
Losantville, IN
228 people
Montpelier, IA
228 people
Williamson, IA
228 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sanford's $28,393 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Clarkson, KY
$28,393 median income
New Hampton, MO
$28,393 median income
Saxon, SC
$28,394 median income
Elizabeth, WV
$28,375 median income
Jasper, AR
$28,359 median income
Wickes, AR
$28,429 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sanford, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sanford, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.2% White 96.9% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sanford compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sanford (this city) 228 $28,393
Detroit 230 $16,250
Delta 233 N/A
Nauvoo 233 $46,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sanford, AL?

What is the population of Sanford, AL? +

Sanford, AL has a population of 228 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sanford, AL? +

In Sanford, the typical household earns $28,393 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sanford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sanford; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Sanford, AL? +

Homes in Sanford carry a median value of $162,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.