Sanford, Maine

Sanford, Maine
Sanford in 2014
Nickname: 
The heart of York County
Location in Maine
Sanford
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 43°26′2″N 70°45′51″W / 43.43389°N 70.76417°W / 43.43389; -70.76417
CountryUnited States
StateMaine
CountyYork
Settled1739
IncorporatedTown: February 27, 1768 City: January 1, 2013
Government
  TypeCity Council/Mayor
  MayorBecky A. Brink
  City Council
  • Maura A. Herlihy, Deputy Mayor
  • Robert G. Stackpole
  • Ayn Hanselmann
  • Jonathan Martell
  • Peter Tranchemontagne
  • Nathaniel Hitchcock
  City ManagerSteven R. Buck
Area
  Total
48.75 sq mi (126.27 km2)
  Land47.79 sq mi (123.78 km2)
  Water0.96 sq mi (2.50 km2)
Elevation
262 ft (80 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
21,982
  Density459.97/sq mi (177.59/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
04073 (Sanford)
04083 (Springvale)
Area code207
FIPS code23-65760
GNIS feature ID0582712
Websitewww.sanfordmaine.org

Sanford is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 21,982 in the 2020 census, making it the seventh largest municipality in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale. The city features many lakes in wooded areas which attract campers.

Sanford is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area.

On November 6, 2012, Sanford voters approved a new charter to re-incorporate Sanford as a city and replace the town meeting format with a city council/mayor/strong manager form of government, along with other changes. The new charter took effect on January 1, 2013. Sanford's new charter provides that the first mayor would be appointed from the ranks of Sanford's seven city councilors and serve interim for one-year period. On January 8, 2013, Maura A. Herlihy was appointed as Sanford's first mayor.

In 2014, an elected-at-large mayor took office. On November 5, 2013, Thomas Cote was elected as mayor. Beginning in 2016, the mayoral position began being elected at-large every two years during legislative election cycles.