Lee County is a county in North Carolina, United States, centred on the city of Sanford roughly 40 miles southwest of Raleigh. It had a population of 63,285 at the 2020 census and covers 259 square miles (671 km2), of which 255 square miles (661 km2) is land and 4 square miles (11 km2) is water, centred near 35°29′N 79°10′W.
Sanford is the county seat, and its postal code is 27330. The county has one city, one town, and about ten unincorporated communities, historically grouped into seven townships (Cape Fear, Deep River, East Sanford, Greenwood, Jonesboro, Pocket and West Sanford). Lee County observes Eastern time and carries FIPS code 37105.
Towns & Villages in Lee County
Lee County has one incorporated city (Sanford, the seat), one incorporated town (Broadway), one census-designated place (the planned community of Carolina Trace), and a set of unincorporated communities that never took on a town government. Population figures below are shown only where a 2020 census count is confirmed for that specific place; the county total above is the reliable figure for Lee County as a whole.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford | City · seat | — | 27330, 27331, 27332 |
| Broadway | Town | — | 27505 |
| Carolina Trace | CDP | — | 27330 |
| Blacknel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cumnock | Unincorp. | — | 27237 |
| Lemon Springs | Unincorp. | — | 28355 |
| Murchisontown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Osgood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Unincorp. | — | — | |
| Swann Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tramway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
Several dozen names on the old scraped list — Berkley Place, Brentwood, Brickwood, Brookhaven, Brookwood, Colonial Acres, Cool Springs Estates, Country Lane Estates, Courtland Acres, Edgewater Estates, Forest Hills, Glenwood Village, Green Valley Estates, Hanover Circle, Hawkins Run, Hidden Valley, Highland Acres, Holly Hills, Jonesboro Heights, Kendall Acres, Longview Acres, McCracken Heights, Meadow Park, Nob Hill, Northview, Owls Nest, Parkwood Estates, Planters Ridge, Quail Ridge, Rosser, Royal Oaks, Saint Andrews, San-Lee Park, Stoneybrook, Sunset Terrace, Trails End, West Lake Valley, Westcroft, Western Hills, Wildwood and Woodbridge — are residential subdivisions inside or just outside Sanford’s city limits rather than separately recognized places, so they are not carried into the table above.
Townships
Lee County is still divided on paper into seven townships — Cape Fear, Deep River, East Sanford, Greenwood, Jonesboro, Pocket and West Sanford — a legacy of 19th-century North Carolina local government. They have no elected officials or budgets today and the Census Bureau has not published township-level population counts for North Carolina since the 1990s, so no population table is given here. East Sanford and West Sanford together cover the city of Sanford; Cape Fear Township, along the Cape Fear and Deep river confluence, includes Cumnock; Pocket Township, in the county’s rural southeast corner, is the least populated of the seven.
ZIP Codes
- 27330 — Sanford (main post office)
- 27332 — Sanford (east side)
- 27331 — Sanford (PO box station)
- 27505 — Broadway
- 27237 — Cumnock (PO box)
- 28355 — Lemon Springs (PO box)
Smaller communities such as Blacknel, Colon, Murchisontown, Osgood, Pocket, Swann Station, Tramway and White Hill do not have their own ZIP code and are served by a Sanford or Broadway address.
Geography
Lee County sits in the North Carolina Piedmont, within the geologic Triassic Basin that once made the county a national center of brick manufacturing. The Cape Fear River forms part of the county’s eastern edge, and the Deep River crosses the county before joining the Cape Fear near the Chatham County line. Terrain is gently rolling, with elevations generally between 300 and 450 feet.
Lee County borders Chatham County to the north, Harnett County to the southeast, and Moore County to the southwest.
Demographics
Lee County had 63,285 residents at the 2020 census, up from prior counts, making it one of North Carolina’s faster-growing counties on the strength of its position between Raleigh and Fayetteville. Sanford is by far the largest community; Broadway, the county’s only other incorporated municipality, is much smaller. Population density works out to roughly 248 people per square mile of land. A verified county-level median household income figure is not available for this page; statewide, North Carolina’s median household income is $70,804 (2023 ACS).
Economy & Local Life
Sanford has long been a manufacturing center; by the mid-20th century Lee County’s brickyards produced roughly a tenth of all bricks made in the United States, and clay and brick production remain part of the local economy alongside newer manufacturing and distribution employers drawn by the county’s location on US 1 and US 421. Central Carolina Community College is headquartered in Sanford, and Central Carolina Hospital serves the county. The Triassic Basin beneath the county also holds oil and natural gas deposits.
History
Lee County was formed on April 1, 1908, from portions of Chatham and Moore counties and named for Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Sanford, already an established rail town, became the county seat. The brick industry that grew up around the county’s Triassic-age clay deposits shaped the local economy for much of the 20th century, and the Old Buffalo covered bridge on NC 42 is the longest covered bridge remaining in North Carolina.
Getting There
US 1 and US 421 cross in Sanford, and US 15-501 also passes through the county, making Lee County a highway junction for the region.
- Raleigh — 40 miles northeast
- Fayetteville — 35 miles southeast
- Chapel Hill — 35 miles north
- Pinehurst — 25 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport, about 45 miles northeast of Sanford.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lee County, North Carolina?
It is in the central Piedmont, about 40 miles southwest of Raleigh, between Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties.
What is the population of Lee County?
63,285 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lee County?
259 square miles (671 km2), of which about 4 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Lee County?
Sanford is the county seat and by far the largest community.
How many towns are in Lee County?
One city (Sanford), one incorporated town (Broadway), one census-designated place (Carolina Trace), and about ten unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lee County?
27330, 27331 and 27332 (Sanford), 27505 (Broadway), plus PO-box ZIPs 27237 (Cumnock) and 28355 (Lemon Springs).
Why is it called Lee County?
It was named for Confederate general Robert E. Lee when it was formed from Chatham and Moore counties in 1908.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.