Town · North Carolina
Sparta, North Carolina
Sparta, town, in Alleghany County, North Carolina. Sparta had 1,918 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,834 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,928 (±324). GEOID 3763680.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,918
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,834 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,928 ±324
Median household income
$42,454
±$9,194 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$209,600
±$53,269 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$563
±$144 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Sparta and what county is it in?
Sparta is a town in Alleghany County, North Carolina. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 781 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sparta, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,918 people lived in Sparta on July 1, 2025, up 4.8% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,834 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,928 (±324).
| Measure | Sparta | Alleghany County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,928 ±324 | 11,174 | no clear change |
| Households | 957 ±178 | 5,177 | +225 |
| Average household size | 1.87 ±0.23 | 2.11 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,066 ±178 | 7,804 | no clear change |
Sparta's population since 2000
From 1,817 in 2000 to 1,918 in 2025: up 5.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sparta as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Sparta?
The median resident of Sparta is 51.0 years old; 15.9% are under 18 and 31.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.3%. 8.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sparta | Alleghany County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 ±6.1 | 52.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.9% ±4.9 pts | 16.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 31.3% ±5.9 pts | 30.7% | – |
| Male | 47.1% ±5.2 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.3% ±6.1 pts | 11.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.2% ±7.2 pts | 83.9% | −18.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±3.1 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±4.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.6% ±7.1 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.1% ±4.5 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.7% ±6.5 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.6% ±3.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 18.9% ±4.5 pts | 16.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.3% ±5.7 pts | 13.8% | +9.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.9% ±6.9 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.3% ±6.9 pts | 23.6% | +10.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.5% ±6.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.3% ±6.7 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.3% ±3.1 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Sparta earn?
Half of Sparta's 957 households earn less than $42,454 a year (±$9,194), against $47,172 in Alleghany County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $35,140 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sparta | Alleghany County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,454 ±$9,194 | $47,172 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $48,031 ±$7,398 | $70,176 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,694 ±$4,306 | $33,300 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.5% ±6.3 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.4% ±17.0 pts | 27.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.9% ±10.2 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.1% ±8.1 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.2% ±8.3 pts | 80.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Sparta?
Owners occupy 58.2% of Sparta's occupied homes and renters 41.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $209,600 by its owner (±$53,269). The median renter pays $563 a month including utilities, and 35.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sparta | Alleghany County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $209,600 ±$53,269 | $214,800 | +$71,885 |
| Median gross rent | $563 ±$144 | $675 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.0% ±14.2 pts | 29.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,335 ±$133 | $1,259 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 58.2% ±11.2 pts | 74.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 41.8% ±11.2 pts | 25.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,066 ±178 | 7,804 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.7% ±7.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.9% ±7.7 pts | 76.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% ±2.0 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0% ±2.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.2% ±7.6 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.9% ±1.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.7% ±9.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Sparta work and get to work?
55.4% of Sparta's workers drive alone and 23.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.0 minutes.
| Measure | Sparta | Alleghany County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 42.8% ±7.5 pts | 47.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±2.9 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 55.4% ±11.7 pts | 75.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 19.9% ±6.9 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 23.7% ±12.4 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.0 min ±2.8 | 26.5 min | −8.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Sparta?
No census tract lies mostly in Sparta; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9502Alleghany County | 3,699 | $42,700 |
| Tract 9501Alleghany County | 4,094 | $51,894 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Sparta) · Census block assignment files
How does Sparta compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sparta is the 7,840th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 256th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Sparta ranks 370th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 256th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 162nd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 271st | 443 |
| Median household income | 370th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 377th | 443 |
| Median home value | 274th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 385th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 100th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 295th | 421 |
| Median age | 65th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 300th | 443 |
| Work from home | 55th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 430th | 439 |
Sparta's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Sparta with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Sparta?
16 of the 57 figures for Sparta on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Sparta are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Sparta.