Sanford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sanford
Kissimmee
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
65 · Top 25%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs80 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs34 · Bottom 2%
Schools
45 · Bottom 42%
vs22 · Bottom 13%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Sanford | Kissimmee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,730 | 81,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,891 | $53,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,823 | $26,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,650/sq mi | 3,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,300 | $304,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,609 | $1,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.0% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 672 | 713 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.5 | 8.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.9% | 15.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.6" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 35.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.45 | 19.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.2% | 42.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 44.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.0% | 55.7% | 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
Sanford
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Kissimmee
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: Sanford, FL · Kissimmee, FL · How this is calculated: methodology