City · Maine
Sanford, Maine
Sanford, city, in York County, Maine. Sanford had 22,663 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 21,982 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 22,247 (±24). GEOID 2365725.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
22,663
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 21,982 · ACS 2020-2024: 22,247 ±24
Median household income
$72,524
±$7,262 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$280,200
±$10,030 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,152
±$72 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Sanford and what county is it in?
Sanford is a city in York County, Maine. It covers 47.8 square miles of land, 460 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sanford is in the Portland-South Portland, ME metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sanford, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 22,663 people lived in Sanford on July 1, 2025, up 3.2% since 2020, slower than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 21,982 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 22,247 (±24).
| Measure | Sanford | York County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 22,247 ±24 | 216,731 | +1,174 |
| Households | 9,629 ±369 | 91,413 | +721 |
| Average household size | 2.28 ±0.09 | 2.33 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 10,246 ±408 | 115,091 | no clear change |
Sanford's population since 2000
From 10,133 in 2000 to 22,663 in 2025: up 123.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sanford as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Sanford?
The median resident of Sanford is 42.1 years old; 19.3% are under 18 and 20.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.5%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.9%. 4.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sanford | York County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 ±2.8 | 45.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.3% ±1.9 pts | 17.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.8% ±2.1 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±1.8 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±0.9 pts | 2.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.5% ±2.0 pts | 90.1% | −3.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.0 pts | 1.1% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±1.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.4% ±1.4 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.9% ±1.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.1% ±1.5 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 21.6% ±2.5 pts | 14.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.3% ±2.8 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.3% ±1.6 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.8% ±3.1 pts | 36.2% | +5.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.0% ±1.6 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.4% ±2.5 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±0.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Sanford earn?
Half of Sanford's 9,629 households earn less than $72,524 a year (±$7,262), against $88,333 in York County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $64,627 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sanford | York County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,524 ±$7,262 | $88,333 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $88,814 ±$5,957 | $110,468 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,027 ±$2,970 | $47,536 | +$4,881 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.3% ±2.8 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.4% ±7.4 pts | 9.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.4% ±2.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.2% ±1.7 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.9% ±2.7 pts | 92.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Sanford?
Owners occupy 71.2% of Sanford's occupied homes and renters 28.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $280,200 by its owner (±$10,030). The median renter pays $1,152 a month including utilities, and 33.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sanford | York County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $280,200 ±$10,030 | $395,700 | +$53,998 |
| Median gross rent | $1,152 ±$72 | $1,339 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.1% ±6.4 pts | 34.5% | −11.1 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,747 ±$87 | $1,988 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.2% ±3.3 pts | 77.3% | +12.0 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.8% ±3.3 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Housing units | 10,246 ±408 | 115,091 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.7% ±2.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.9% ±3.6 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% ±1.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1% ±1.1 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 22.8% ±3.2 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.9% ±1.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Sanford building?
Builders took permits for 76 new housing units in Sanford in 2025 (38 in single-family houses), 3.4 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Sanford work and get to work?
79.1% of Sanford's workers drive alone and 9.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.7%.
| Measure | Sanford | York County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.5% ±2.4 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% ±1.5 pts | 3.4% | −2.7 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 79.1% ±3.4 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7% ±2.2 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±0.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.8% ±2.0 pts | 16.8% | +4.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.1 min ±1.6 | 27.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Sanford?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Sanford (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $55,079 (Tract 301.02) to $121,995 (Tract 301.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 302.01York County | 4,331 | $70,900 |
| Tract 303York County | 3,985 | $76,503 |
| Tract 302.03York County | 3,822 | $88,500 |
| Tract 302.05York County | 3,174 | $65,663 |
| Tract 301.02York County | 2,441 | $55,079 |
| Tract 301.01York County | 2,291 | $121,995 |
| Tract 302.04York County | 2,203 | $68,578 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Sanford) · Census block assignment files
How does Sanford compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sanford is the 1,747th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 6th-most populous of 23 in Maine.
Sanford ranks 165th of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 6th | 23 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 149th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 74th | 353 |
| Median household income | 165th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 184th | 353 |
| Median home value | 148th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 106th | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 152nd | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 231st | 352 |
| Median age | 261st | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 268th | 353 |
| Work from home | 223rd | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 124th | 352 |
Sanford's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Sanford with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Sanford?
7 of the 57 figures for Sanford on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Sanford are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Sanford.