Cost of living in Sanford research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Sanford is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Sanford is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Sanford is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Sanford ranks as the #47 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Sanford ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Sanford is $283,704.
The median income in Sanford is $54,294.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sanford has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Sanford has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Sanford ranks as #47 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Sanford ranks as the #110 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Sanford, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Sanford. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Sanford is 97.
The Groceries index in Sanford is 98.
The Health index in Sanford is 106.
The Housing index in Sanford is 81.
The Transportation index in Sanford is 94.
The Utilities index in Sanford is 91.
| Living Expense | Sanford | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 81 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Sanford is $283,704.
The Median Rent in Sanford is $965.
The Median Income in Sanford is $54,294.
The Home Value To Income in Sanford is 5.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Sanford is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Sanford | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $283,704 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $965 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $54,294 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.2x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Sanford | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.19 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.2 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $50.33 | $45.56 |
| Item | Sanford | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.36 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.64 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.73 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.46 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.85 | $3.7 |
| Item | Sanford | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $126.46 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $146.71 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $136.77 | $113.29 |
| Item | Sanford | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.32 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $42.85 | $59.92 |
| Item | Sanford | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $161.71 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Sanford. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 1.2x Sanford.
Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.4x Sanford.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.3x Sanford.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | 112 | 1.2x |
| Cary, NC | 176,686 | 125 | 1.4x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 1.3x |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 59,889 | 129 | 1.4x |
| Wake Forest, NC | 51,199 | 117 | 1.3x |
| Holly Springs, NC | 43,429 | 125 | 1.4x |
| Garner, NC | 32,543 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 1.3x |
| Carrboro, NC | 21,170 | 121 | 1.3x |
| Knightdale, NC | 19,532 | 105 | 1.1x |