Sanford, Colorado, 2018
Sanford’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 564 in 1910, 879 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 2 maps from 1968 on.
- 1888Sanford is settled
SanfordCO
A town of 897, settled in 1888.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0
Population
897
2025 Census estimate · +1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$195K
+0.7% in a year
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
110
A commuter town
Is Sanford a good place to live?
32% of residents are under 18 in Sanford, above both Colorado’s towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%). Among 160 Colorado towns, just 1 have a lower median household income than Sanford. Sanford has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
897 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sanford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sanford, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Sanford water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sanford’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereConejos County Clerk and RecorderConejos County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8115181151 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Sanford.
Housing
Homes in Sanford are worth about $195K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Sanford home is worth about $195,000, up 0.7% in a year, 63% below the Colorado typical home.
$195KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sanford$195K
Colorado$529K
+0.7%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Sanford’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Sanford School District No. 6. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 218 | B |
| Sanford Junior/Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 166 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Sanford has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Sanford for work: only 3% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Sanford, above both the Colorado town median (8.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Since 2013, Sanford has added 47 jobs, to 110 in 2023.
3%work in town
| Sanford | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 7.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sanford3%
Alamosa28%
La Jara9%
Antonito6%
Denver4%
15 mi
median commute distance
110
jobs based in Sanford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More children than Colorado overall
Children under 18 are 32% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 29% of residents (39% statewide). The median age in Sanford is 32.8 years. 37% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 46% across Colorado.
32.8median age · CO 37.7
| Sanford | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 years | 38.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 15% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 44% | 29% |
SanfordColoradoUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma12%
High school14%
Some college17%
Associate’s21%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
57% women, 43% men
About 74 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6 points). Across Colorado, 49.3% of residents are women.
| Sanford | CO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 18.4% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9% | 15.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.2% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.8% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.8% | 11.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.2% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 5.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.6% | 7.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 13.8% | 19.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.5% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 20.8% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.3% | 28.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11% | 17.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Sanford, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Sanford has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Sanford’s July high is 82°F.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–38°
Spring27–60°
Summer46–80°
Fall28–62°
Sep 21
typical first frost
May 28
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
High risk in Sanford, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Sanford is
Sanford beats the Colorado average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 15% of Sanford adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Sanford | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 10% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 8.4% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 71% | 79% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
2 better10 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Sanford | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.8% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 73.4% | 69.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.6% | 9.2% |
San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center
14.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sanford
17pages on Sanford
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sanford
About 3 of every 100 Sanford residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Sanford for work
Where Sanford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
110jobs based in Sanford
3%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sanford
Town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States
Sanford is a statutory town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The population was 879 at the 2020 census. A post office called Sanford has been in operation since 1888. The town was named after Silas Sanford Smith, a Mormon pioneer.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7,605 ft
- ZIP code
- 81151
- Area code
- 719
Questions about Sanford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sanford, CO a good place to live?
Sanford has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.