Jobs, pay and daily life in Sanford, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Sanford is a city in North Carolina with 31,478 residents. The median household earns $57,586 a year and the median rent is $1,052 a month, which is 21.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Raleigh-Cary, NC (743,120 jobs), about 22 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Sanford compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Sanford is #34 by population, #86 for college degrees (#1 = most), #80 for remote work (#1 = most), #79 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Lee County, is #13 of 100 counties for average pay ($58,075).
Sanford has 31,478 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 33 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 949 people per square mile. The median age is 34.7, 11% younger than the state median (34.7 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,052 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($1,052 against $1,228). Over a year that is 21.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $245,400, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($57,586). 53.3% of households own their home, 20% below the state average (53.3% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Raleigh-Cary, NC, metropolitan area has 743,120 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,990 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (79,180 jobs, median $47,310); sales and related (74,800 jobs, median $42,450); food preparation and serving related (66,380 jobs, median $30,480). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (1.7 times) and life, physical, and social science (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($132,650) and computer and mathematical ($107,760). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lee County was 3.1%. 61.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lee County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 8.1% work from home. 17.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 26% above the state average (17.5% against 13.9%).
21.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 39% below the state share (21.6% against 35.6%). 15.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 65% above the state share (15.0% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 22.0%, 69% above the state rate (22.0% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,157 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (71 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Spout Springs (17 miles, rent 91% higher); Anderson Creek (19 miles, rent 19% higher); Holly Springs (22 miles, rent 92% higher); Apex (23 miles, rent 81% higher). Rent differences are against Sanford; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideLee CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 18,660 | 1.00 | $33,100 | $24,090 | $46,900 | -7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 17,060 | 1.21 | $38,470 | $31,220 | $46,890 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 14,350 | 0.97 | $29,770 | $23,520 | $36,760 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 13,620 | 1.10 | $41,900 | $31,530 | $63,490 | -6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,790 | 0.69 | $29,080 | $22,370 | $37,460 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 12,780 | 0.79 | $84,830 | $72,460 | $110,220 | -13% |
| Software Developers | 12,580 | 1.56 | $132,770 | $80,080 | $185,110 | -2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,300 | 0.91 | $35,220 | $28,200 | $47,310 | -6% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 11,500 | 3.76 | $28,220 | $22,590 | $34,220 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 11,350 | 0.96 | $44,460 | $29,050 | $60,910 | -1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,290 | 0.95 | $34,860 | $17,850 | $64,240 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,520 | 0.57 | $114,940 | $56,020 | $268,030 | +9% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 9,190 | 1.33 | $81,950 | $57,120 | $134,220 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 8,970 | 1.49 | $68,560 | $39,720 | $154,720 | -2% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 8,820 | 1.70 | $80,390 | $48,320 | $128,110 | -3% |
| Project Management Specialists | 7,930 | 1.56 | $102,280 | $65,380 | $166,970 | -0% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 7,600 | 1.65 | $46,600 | $37,220 | $57,180 | +1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 7,550 | 1.15 | $50,200 | $37,650 | $69,230 | -1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 7,550 | 1.28 | $72,220 | $40,270 | $154,980 | +0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 7,310 | 0.69 | $34,980 | $24,090 | $44,820 | -5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,190 | 0.73 | $354,130 | $173,530 | $361,270 | +33% |
| Dentists, General | 1,000 | 1.69 | $207,380 | $132,880 | $378,960 | +21% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 6,010 | 1.88 | $173,960 | $106,810 | $283,510 | -1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,640 | 3.17 | $173,510 | $103,090 | $300,550 | +4% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,850 | 1.76 | $169,780 | $127,890 | $256,090 | -1% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,390 | 1.27 | $167,640 | $102,970 | $277,320 | +1% |
| Sales Managers | 3,280 | 1.08 | $163,520 | $75,610 | $303,060 | +10% |
| Financial Managers | 3,690 | 0.92 | $163,130 | $100,920 | $309,290 | -2% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 510 | 1.11 | $162,800 | $92,840 | $172,300 | +25% |
| Managers, All Other | 4,320 | 1.45 | $147,370 | $79,940 | $244,990 | +4% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,080 | 1.03 | $144,190 | $93,220 | $264,980 | -3% |
| Information Security Analysts | 2,510 | 2.75 | $143,640 | $78,870 | $168,050 | +11% |
| Purchasing Managers | 500 | 1.23 | $139,050 | $97,590 | $225,170 | -6% |
| Pharmacists | 1,730 | 1.12 | $133,120 | $101,720 | $165,060 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 12,580 | 1.56 | $132,770 | $80,080 | $185,110 | -2% |
| Database Architects | 710 | 2.21 | $132,740 | $70,200 | $198,320 | -5% |
| Lawyers | 4,350 | 1.21 | $131,920 | $79,550 | $331,770 | -17% |
| Veterinarians | 520 | 1.31 | $130,350 | $79,830 | $213,960 | +0% |
| Electrical Engineers | 1,500 | 1.58 | $130,240 | $73,380 | $221,050 | +8% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,010 | 0.86 | $130,120 | $78,110 | $215,140 | +3% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Raleigh-Cary, NC, about 22 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20.7% |
| Education and health care | 16.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.9% |
| Retail trade | 9.7% |
| Construction | 8.9% |
| Other services | 5.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.3% |
| Public administration | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Sanford lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 65,816 | $4,261 million | $64,746 | 27,674 | 1,866 | $58,075 | +6.5% | 3.1% | 30,569 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,498 | 35.0% | $77,252 | 3.74 |
| Retail trade | 3,246 | 13.4% | $37,615 | 1.17 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,594 | 10.7% | $50,867 | 0.65 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,364 | 9.7% | $20,911 | 0.94 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,588 | 6.5% | $53,247 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 1,388 | 5.7% | $58,715 | 0.96 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,274 | 5.2% | $67,528 | 1.17 |
| Professional and technical services | 857 | 3.5% | $79,448 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 509 | 2.1% | $39,144 | 0.61 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 484 | 2.0% | $55,632 | 0.41 |
| Finance and insurance | 404 | 1.7% | $95,136 | 0.36 |
| Educational services | 353 | 1.5% | $42,616 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 229 | 0.9% | $23,331 | 0.49 |
| Real estate and rental | 211 | 0.9% | $53,850 | 0.49 |
| Information | 154 | 0.6% | $71,627 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 117 | 0.5% | $92,756 | 1.11 |
| Management of companies | 38 | 0.2% | $50,401 | 0.08 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 8.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 17.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,586 |
| Income per person | $28,130 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,052 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.9% |
| Median home value | $245,400 |
| Homeowners | 53.3% |
| Poverty rate | 22.0% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 98.2 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $51,990 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 79.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.6% |
| Born abroad | 15.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 71 |
| Feb | 5.8 | 42 | 76 |
| Mar | 10.1 | 50 | 89 |
| Apr | 15.7 | 60 | 86 |
| May | 20.6 | 69 | 97 |
| Jun | 25.1 | 77 | 115 |
| Jul | 26.9 | 80 | 120 |
| Aug | 26.2 | 79 | 121 |
| Sep | 22.6 | 73 | 118 |
| Oct | 16.4 | 62 | 81 |
| Nov | 10.1 | 50 | 89 |
| Dec | 6.2 | 43 | 94 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spout Springs | NC | 17 mi | 11,242 | $92,402 | $2,010 |
| Anderson Creek | NC | 19 mi | 13,927 | $87,287 | $1,251 |
| Holly Springs | NC | 22 mi | 45,248 | $135,578 | $2,021 |
| Apex | NC | 23 mi | 70,630 | $144,135 | $1,902 |
| Fuquay-Varina | NC | 24 mi | 40,485 | $115,497 | $1,720 |
| Spring Lake | NC | 24 mi | 11,573 | $51,958 | $1,351 |
| Southern Pines | NC | 24 mi | 16,420 | $88,535 | $1,354 |
| Pinehurst | NC | 27 mi | 18,256 | $109,802 | $1,664 |
| Cary | NC | 28 mi | 179,306 | $134,905 | $1,738 |
| Carrboro | NC | 30 mi | 21,204 | $85,743 | $1,470 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
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31,478 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,052 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.9% of the median household income.
$57,586 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Lee County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.