Just south of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, Sanford is a growing city with a walkable downtown and a thriving arts scene. “It’s a very big town, but the longer you live here, the more you realize how small it is,” says Maria Wright, a Realtor with Gordon & Associates Real Estate who has lived in Sanford for 11 years. “It has that feel where you walk in somewhere and people know you.” According to the 2020 census, the city’s population was just over 30,000 people, but is growing at a rate of nearly 2% each year as people move here seeking affordable homes within an hour’s commute to nearby cities like Raleigh and Fayetteville.
Though home to many commuters, Sanford has its own identity; the Temple Theatre and Mann Center of North Carolina drive the local arts community, and Sanford’s public art celebrates its history as a railroad and industrial center. Industrial manufacturing is still a big part of life in Sanford; companies like Pfizer, Tyson and Caterpillar are major employers. “Sanford has that infrastructure to grow with really positive potential,” Wright says. Fueled by the recent Infrastructure Reinvestment Act and Chips Act, more industrial development is coming to the region, including Vietnamese electric carmaker VinFast; their plant in nearby Moncure will draw on Sanford’s Big Buffalo Wastewater Treatment Plant, bringing more tax dollars to the city.
Sanford is a growing city with a walkable downtown not far from Research Triangle Park.
Caterpillar has a large manufacturing plant in Sanford.
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New construction keeping up with the population
With Sanford’s manufacturing boom comes the demand for more housing, and the city has recently approved new developments like 78 South, a neighborhood with 111 single-family homes. “We have the infrastructure, and we have the land,” Wright says. “It’s a perfect mix for builders who want to come in and develop.” Homes in the Downtown Sanford and East Sanford neighborhoods are typically older and more affordable. The median single-family home price in Sanford is around $335,000, lower than the national median and Raleigh's median of just under $545,000. Houses tend to stay on the market for an average of 62 days.
With Sanford’s manufacturing boom comes the demand for more housing and new neighborhoods are popping up all over.
Homes in the Downtown Sanford and East Sanford neighborhoods are typically older and more affordable.
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Dining on Sanford’s Barbecue Trail
Residents can head to Downtown Sanford to dine at one of the six restaurants on Sanford’s Barbecue Trail. Downtown offers a walkable area of early 20th-century brick storefronts with local shops, restaurants, breweries and a weekly farmers market. “More people are moving and relocating to Sanford and downtown is really growing. People really want their businesses to succeed and grow there,” says Wright who is on the Downtown Sanford Inc. board of directors, which hosts several annual events, including the three-day Downtown Sanford Streetfest and Downtown Alive concert series. Shoppers can also drive to South Horner Boulevard for chain restaurants, grocery stores and big-box retailers.
Downtown is the hub of the community arts scene. The Temple Theatre Company performs musicals and plays like “A Christmas Story” and “Annie” in the nearly 100-year-old Temple Theatre. The Mann Center of North Carolina, another community performance space, has an art gallery and is home to the Sanford Brush & Palette Club, a nonprofit arts group. Residents can stroll down Sanford’s Public Art Trail downtown, a nearly 3-mile tour of 15 murals that highlight Sanford’s history.
Downtown Sanford offers a walkable area of early 20th-century brick storefronts with local shops, restaurants, breweries and more.
Residents in Sanford can dine at one of the six restaurants on the NC Barbecue Trail.
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The new Lee County Multi-sports Park
Sanford has 16 urban parks, including the newest, the 45-acre Kiwanis Family Park, which has a splash pad and playground. “The city of Sanford has invested a lot into streetscapes and parks,” Wright says. “We have a little water park, trails and playgrounds.” Just outside of the city, the popular 177-acre San-Lee Park has 4 miles of hiking trails and fishing spots along two lakes. There are also four nearby golf courses, including the par-71 Sanford Municipal Golf Course. The 120-acre Lee County Multi-sports Park is currently under development. “It will help families to not have to drive outside of Lee County to play in sports leagues,” Wright says.
Just outside of Sanford is the popular 177-acre San-Lee Park.
Kiwanis Park is home to the first splash pad built in Sanford, NC.
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Dual enrollment at Lee Early College High
Lee County Public Schools earns an overall rating of B-minus from Niche. Sanford is home to the A-plus-rated Lee Early College High, an academically advanced public school where students can take dual enrollment courses at Central Carolina Community College and graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. Popular private options include the B-plus-rated Lee Christian School and B-rated Grace Christian School. Sanford’s students can start college at Central Carolina Community College before transferring to a four-year university; the community college also offers associate degrees in subjects like applied technologies, as well as continuing education courses in topics like visual arts.
Sanford’s students can start college at Central Carolina Community College before transferring to a four-year university.
Lee Early College is a cooperative/innovative high school operated by Lee County Schools.
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Under 50 miles to Raleigh and Fayetteville
Sanford sits between several of North Carolina’s major cities, including Raleigh, around 45 miles northeast on Route 1, and Fayetteville, nearly 40 miles southeast on Highway 87. With no public transportation or bike lanes, residents here rely on their cars to get around. A planned Amtrak station in Sanford will soon offer passenger service to Raleigh; this is part of the region’s S-Line project to build a high-speed rail network between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia. The corporate Raleigh Executive Jetport is 10 miles away, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a roughly 45-mile trip.
You can take Highway 87 and reach Fayetteville in about 30 minutes.
Downtown Raleigh is around a 45 miles northeast on Route 1.
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