City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Sparks, TX

Sparks's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

4,936
Residents
$31,932
Median income
$101,800
Median home
$1,149
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Sparks, TX - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Sparks.

Place dossier plate

Sheet TX-SPARKS-TX · Sparks, TX 4,936 pop · income 3rd pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-LOW · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-BOTTOM · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 4,936
  • INC-LOW $31,932
  • COL-PAR 97.1
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 3rd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Lumber City
  • HOME-LOW $101,800
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Lumber City, GA ( $5 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Sparks

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Sparks on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Sparks on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 4,936.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $31,932. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Sparks - the verdict

Sparks ranks in the 3rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

3rd
percentile, household income
10th
percentile, home value
40th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sparks, TX

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,936 residents in Sparks, a small town within Texas. Sparks households earn a median of $31,932 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 53.6%. Home values in Sparks run a median of $101,800, and the median resident age is 25.1 years. Educational attainment runs 7.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 54.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,149 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Texas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 49.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Sparks's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Sparks, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates, annual population history, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Sparks?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 53.6%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Sparks?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Texas, the closest population matches are Progreso (4,918 residents, $35,938 income); Gilmer (4,955 residents, $41,279 income); Mineola (4,956 residents, $42,231 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Massac, KY (4,937 residents); Hampden, ME (4,937 residents); Gibraltar, MI (4,937 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in Sparks?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 88.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

4,936 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$31,932 /yr

Lowest-decile income · poverty 53.6% (Highest-decile poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

City profile score · Sparks, TX

13/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living C-
97.1 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Household income F
$31,932

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate F
53.6%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share F
7.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Sparks profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share. Cost of livingHousehold incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ share 13 F
Sparks profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 53/100 (C-) · 97.1 index
  • Household income: 0/100 (F) · $31,932
  • Poverty rate: 0/100 (F) · 53.6%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 0/100 (F) · 7.1%

How does Sparks compare to other US cities?

Where Sparks sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 10% pricier than other cities
Median rent 40% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sparks against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Sparks near the bottom of Texas's cities

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Sparks ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sparks only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,462 of 1,520
4th percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 1,663
0th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#1,125 of 1,505
25th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#35 of 1,663
98th percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,417 of 1,663
15th percentile in Texas
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Texas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

3rdIncome percentile
Gauge source note

3rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sparks's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$101,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 90% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Sparks $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Sparks's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,634 of 15,516
More affordable than 51% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#6,317 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.2×, Sparks sits in the moderate band: national rank #7,634 of 15,516 and #6,317 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$31,932 Sparks, TX median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Sparks, TX Sparks, TX's median household income ($31,932) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Sparks, TX-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Sparks, TX median $31,932/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sparks, TX median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Sparks, TX.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 53.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,936
Median Income
$31,932
Median Home Value
$101,800
Median Age
25.1
Poverty Rate
53.6%
Labor force participation
54.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.1%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
88.7%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.9%
Other
2.9%

Based on 1,768 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Texas statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $223

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Texas at $223 (electricity about $130 , water and sewer about $48 ).

These are Texas statewide averages, not a meter reading for Sparks. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Texas's BEA cost-of-living index is 97.1 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Sparks is $1,149/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Texas statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 49.0 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Texas statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Sparks sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Sparks compares to similar-size Texas cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Sparks (this city) 4,936 $31,932
Progreso 4,918 $35,938
Gilmer 4,955 $41,279
Mineola 4,956 $42,231
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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