04083 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
04073
04083
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs68 · Top 23%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 27%
vs77 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs89 · Top 35%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
66 · Top 39%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 04073 | 04083 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,414 | 4,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,917 | $72,207 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,244 | $41,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 461/sq mi | 481/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $282,900 | $272,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $1,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 77.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 32.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 63 | 63 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -44.2% | -44.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 41.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 35.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.43 | 11.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.9% | 58.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
04073
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
04083
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 04073 — Sanford, ME · 04083 — Sanford, ME · How this is calculated: methodology