Signals
Sanford
Albemarle
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs69 · Top 20%
Climate
77 · Top 12%
vs76 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 49%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 39%
vs89 · Bottom 34%
Access
81 · Top 41%
vs78 · Top 47%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 49%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Sanford | Albemarle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 65,816 | 64,651 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,387 | $60,704 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,243 | $31,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 258/sq mi | 164/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,200 | $242,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,017 | $861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.3% | 74.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 617 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 5.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.6% | -8.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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: hurricane.
Albemarle
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: Sanford, NC Micro Area · Albemarle, NC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology