Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,040. Its county seat is Sanford.

History
The county was formed in 1907 from parts of Chatham County, Moore County and Harnett County. It was named for Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War.

Law and government
Lee County is a member of the regional Triangle J Council of Governments. The county is governed by a seven-member board of County Commissioners, elected at large to serve four-year terms. Terms are staggered so that, every two years, three or four Commissioners are up for election. The Commissioners enact policies such as establishment of the property tax rate, regulation of land use and zoning outside municipal jurisdictions, and adoption of the annual budget. Commissioners usually meet on the first and third Mondays of each month.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 259 square miles (672 km²), of which, 257 square miles (666 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.80%) is water.

Townships
The county is divided into seven townships, which are both numbered and named:
1 (Greenwood),
2 (Jonesboro),
3 (Cape Fear),
4 (Deep River),
5 (East Sanford),
6 (West Sanford),
7 (Pocket).

Cities and towns

• Broadway
• Cumnock
• Sanford
• Lemon Springs
• Tramway