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Sanford is a city located in Florida. With a 2020 population of 62,789, it is the 46th largest city in Florida and the 602nd largest city in the United States. Sanford is currently growing at a rate of 2.18% annually and its population has increased by 17.21% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 53,570 in 2010. Spanning over 27 miles, Sanford has a population density of 2,689 people per square mile.

The average household income in Sanford is $63,146 with a poverty rate of 19.14%. The median rental costs in recent years come to $1,110 per month, and the median house value is $156,600. The median age in Sanford is 34.9 years, 33.3 years for males, and 35.8 years for females. For every 100 females, there are 95.7 males.



Known as the “Historic Waterfront Gateway City,” Sanford sits on the southern shore of Lake Monroe at the head of navigation on the St. Johns River. Native Americans first settled in the area thousands of years before the city was formed. The Seminoles would arrive in the area in the 18th century.

During the Second Seminole War in 1836, the United States Army established Camp Monroe and built a road that is currently known as Mellonville Avenue. The city sits approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Orlando.

In 1911, the community of Sanford Heights seceded from Sanford, because of discord over municipal services provided by Sanford. This added to concerns that Sanford’s ability to expand would be constrained by the surrounding towns of Goldsboro, Georgetown, and Sanford Heights, as well as Lake Monroe to the north.

Florida State Representative and former Sanford mayor Forrest Lake led legislative efforts to curtail Sanford Heights’ ability to incorporate, independent of Sanford. Goldsboro was also a target in Forrest Lake’s annexation process, prompting Goldsboro’s leaders to start a letter-writing campaign for local newspapers.

On April 6, 1911, the Sanford city council passed a resolution to annex Goldsboro and on April 26, 1911, the Florida legislature passed the Sanford Charter Bill, dissolving the incorporation of both Sanford and Goldsboro, and reorganizing Sanford as a city that included Goldsboro within its boundaries.

In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, created from Orange County. Agriculture continued to dominate the economy until 1940 when it proved cheaper to cultivate produce in frost-free South Florida.

Sanford is home to Seminole State College of Florida and the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Its downtown attracts tourists with shops, restaurants, a marina, and a lakefront walking trail. The Orlando Sanford International Airport, which is in the heart of the town, functions as the secondary commercial airport for international and domestic carriers in the Orlando metropolitan area.