Akashic
1892–2024
Akashic
Sanford, NC
presidential margin
2008R+8.42012R+9.72016R+12.92020R+14.92024R+17.4
full record · 1908 → 2024
R+17.4
2024
median income$65,387U.S. $80,734 · NC $72,388
median age39.5U.S. 39.1 · NC 39.5
poverty rate16.5%U.S. 12.5% · NC 13.1%
bachelor’s+ (25+)21.3%U.S. 35.6% · NC 35.8%
non-english20.6%U.S. 22.3% · NC 13.5%
race · ethnicity · ancestry
English11.2%
German7.5%
Irish7.0%
Mexican13.0%
Salvadoran2.3%
Puerto Rican2.0%
African American†16.3%
African0.5%
Haitian0.2%
religion
other traditions
Mainline8.7%
Black Protestant3.6%
Other Christian1.6%
Latter-day Saints1.5%
American Community Survey 2024 5-year (income, age, poverty, education, language, race, ancestry) · presidential returns from MIT Election Lab through 2024 · 2020 U.S. Religion Census (ASARB) — congregational adherents, unaffiliated is the unclaimed remainder.

Sanford, NC, North Carolina

Akashic
Sanford, NCTrumpR+17.4
—
2024 presidential margin by county for Sanford, NC, NCA map of the single county of Sanford, NC, NC, outlined and filled by its 2024 presidential margin from deep red (Republican) through neutral to deep blue (Democratic), seated within the faint outlines of the surrounding states.Lee County, NC · R+17.4
How it voted
Share of the 2024 vote
Donald Trump ✓Republican58.1%17,489
Kamala HarrisDemocratic40.7%12,245
Jill SteinGreen1.2%347
D+60
R+60
A single county, filled by its 2024 D-vs-R margin. Hover it for the full result.
County-level results (1 county) — table
2024 presidential result by county for Sanford, NC, NC — winner and D-vs-R margin.
CountyWinnerMargin
Lee County, NCRepublicanR+17.4
34 presidential elections
Third column names the leading third-party or independent finisher. Source · MIT Election Lab · ICPSR · VEST (precinct-level 2024).
YearWonDemocraticRepublicanOtherMarginTotal
R
40.7%Harris12,245
58.1%Trump17,489
1.2%Stein347
−17.4%
30,081
R
41.9%Biden12,143
56.8%Trump16,469
1.4%Jorgensen396
−14.9%
29,008
R
41.7%Clinton10,469
54.7%Trump13,712
3.6%Johnson903
−12.9%
25,084
R
44.6%Obama10,801
54.3%Romney13,158
1.2%Johnson280
−9.7%
24,239
R
45.3%Obama10,784
53.7%McCain12,775
1.0%Barr229
−8.4%
23,788
R
39.2%Kerry7,657
60.6%Bush11,834
0.3%Badnarik52
−21.4%
19,543
R
41.7%Gore6,785
57.8%Bush9,406
0.6%Browne92
−16.1%
16,283
R
43.0%Clinton6,290
50.0%Dole7,321
7.0%Perot1,019
−7.0%
14,630
R
39.9%Clinton5,852
45.4%Bush6,658
14.7%Perot2,149
−5.5%
14,659
R
37.2%Dukakis4,231
62.5%Bush7,104
0.3%Fulani36
−25.3%
11,371
R
32.3%Mondale3,925
67.5%Reagan8,198
0.2%Bergland28
−35.2%
12,151
D
51.3%Carter5,426
45.8%Reagan4,847
2.8%Anderson301
+5.5%
10,574
D
57.8%Carter5,104
41.8%Ford3,691
0.4%Anderson36
+16.0%
8,831
R
25.2%McGovern2,024
72.7%Nixon5,836
2.1%Schmitz166
−47.5%
8,026
O
28.6%Humphrey2,524
29.3%Nixon2,586
42.1%Wallace3,711
Wallace +12.8
8,821
D
63.2%Johnson4,730
36.8%Goldwater2,753
0.0%
+26.4%
7,483
D
64.6%Kennedy4,673
35.4%Nixon2,563
0.0%
+29.2%
7,236
D
68.1%Stevenson4,163
31.9%Eisenhower1,948
0.0%
+36.2%
6,111
D
69.0%Stevenson4,688
31.0%Eisenhower2,105
0.0%
+38.0%
6,793
D
74.4%Truman3,234
20.0%Dewey871
5.6%Thurmond243
+54.3%
4,348
D
81.0%Roosevelt3,448
19.0%Dewey808
0.0%
+62.0%
4,256
D
87.5%Roosevelt3,682
12.5%Willkie527
0.0%
+75.0%
4,209
D
84.7%Roosevelt3,723
15.3%Landon670
0.0%
+69.5%
4,393
D
81.5%Roosevelt3,058
18.2%Hoover681
0.3%Thomas13
+63.4%
3,752
D
54.8%Smith1,715
45.2%Hoover1,416
0.0%
+9.5%
3,131
D
71.8%Davis1,834
27.8%Coolidge710
0.4%La Follette10
+44.0%
2,554
D
67.1%Cox2,327
32.9%Harding1,143
0.0%
+34.1%
3,470
D
64.8%Wilson1,054
35.2%Hughes573
0.0%
+29.6%
1,627
D
62.8%Wilson862
32.8%Taft451
4.4%Roosevelt60
+29.9%
1,373
D
59.7%Bryan832
40.3%Taft562
0.0%
+19.4%
1,394
————
No data
—
————
No data
—
————
No data
—
————
No data
—
presidential history
Presidential margin, 1908–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
Presidential margin over timeDemocratic-minus-Republican presidential margin from 1908 to 2024. Most recent: −17.4% in 2024.flipped R · 1984−17.4%DR19082024
Presidential margin over time
YearMargin (D minus R)
1908+19.4%
1912+29.9%
1916+29.6%
1920+34.1%
1924+44.0%
1928+9.5%
1932+63.4%
1936+69.5%
1940+75.0%
1944+62.0%
1948+54.3%
1952+38.0%
1956+36.2%
1960+29.2%
1964+26.4%
1968−0.7%
1972−47.5%
1976+16.0%
1980+5.5%
1984−35.2%
1988−25.3%
1992−5.5%
1996−7.0%
2000−16.1%
2004−21.4%
2008−8.4%
2012−9.7%
2016−12.9%
2020−14.9%
2024−17.4%
DemocraticRepublican
voter registration
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
Voter registration in Sanford, NCRegistered voters by party of registration, 2008–2024. Latest total 41,335 in 2024.10.3K20.7K31K41.3K41.3K20082024
DemocraticRepublicanUnaffiliatedOther parties
Voter registration in Sanford, NC
YearTotal registeredDemocraticRepublicanUnaffiliatedOther
200831,72116,2499,1156,33126
201234,92716,44110,1978,19495
201635,51714,99710,21410,157149
202038,77113,85911,74612,876290
202239,37112,94111,90714,263260
202441,33512,44512,79215,620478
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

Sanford anchors Lee County, a historically tobacco-and-textiles economy now courting industrial diversification. The metro has trended competitive in recent cycles as in-migration from the Raleigh corridor reshapes its traditionally conservative voter base.

Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 75.0 points in 1940 and a Republican high of 47.5 points in 1972. Between 2020 and 2024 the metro moved 2.5 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 17.4 points.

A population of 65,816, a 56% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $65,387 describe the metro. The metro's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Kinston, NC and Wilson, NC.

Political twins — metros

The metros whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.

Kinston, NC
71.1twin score
% White12-yr trendcollege share≠ % Black
Wilson, NC
69.3twin score
college share% White12-yr trend≠ % Black
Burlington, NC
66.7twin score
% Black2016 margin% White≠ 12-yr trend

Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.

Compare two places, side by side

Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →

Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Sanford, NC, North Carolina. Akashic. https://akashic.app/cbsa/41820/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
License: CC BY 4.0
Embed this page
A live widget for your site — no API key, attribution built in, CC BY 4.0. All widgets & sizes →
Embed & data: CC BY 4.0 · Akashic Intelligence
U.S. electionsAll elections →
Presidentevery cycleUS Senateevery cycleUS Houseevery cycleGovernorevery cycle

Places within Sanford, NC

counties1
Lee County

Frequently asked questions

How did Sanford, NC, North Carolina vote in 2024?
In 2024, Sanford, NC, North Carolina voted Republican by 17.4 points (R+17.4), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 30,081 votes cast, 12,245 went Democratic and 17,489 went Republican.
When did Sanford, NC, North Carolina last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Sanford, NC, North Carolina voted Democratic was 1980.
How many people live in Sanford, NC, North Carolina?
Sanford, NC, North Carolina has a population of 65,816 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Sanford, NC, North Carolina?
Median household income in Sanford, NC, North Carolina is $65,387 — below the national median of $80,734. The North Carolina state median is $72,388.
What is the political history of Sanford, NC, North Carolina?
Akashic tracks 34 presidential elections in Sanford, NC, North Carolina from 1892 to 2024. Of those, 17 went Democratic and 12 went Republican.