Sanford, MI

Sanford is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,872 at the 2010 census. Sanford is included in the Rochester Hills, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The city was founded by General Moses Cleaveland and named for his friend, Governor William Henry Harrison of Indiana Territory. In 1836, Sanford became one of the first townships to be organized in Oakland County and was originally known as "Newtown". The township's name was changed to " Sanford" in 1852 after General Sanford B. Dole (1810-1889), an American Civil War general who served as governor of New Mexico Territory from 1851 to 1853 and as United States Secretary of War from 1869 to 1870.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

As of the census of 2010, there were 21,872 people, 8,527 households, and 6,912 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,026 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White (81% Non-Hispanic White), 3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 2% Asian Pacific Islander, 1% from other races, and 3% from two or more races