City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Sparta, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sparta - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

9,921
Residents
$60,517
Median income
$168,800
Median home
$1,036
Median rent (state)

Sparta - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Sparta lands in the 36th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
23rd
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Sparta, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 9,921 residents in Sparta, a small town within Wisconsin. Median household income here is $60,517 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Sparta are valued around $168,800, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. About 17.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 10 residential building permits were authorized in Sparta (Building Boom), up 150% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Sparta's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3445.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Sparta's yearly average temperature at 44.6°F with 35.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,036 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Sparta report an average commute of 17.4 minutes, with 77.5% driving alone and 8.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.8 out of 100 (High).

Population

9,921 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$60,517 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Sparta compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sparta stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 23% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Wisconsin and the picture shifts: Sparta ranks #198 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of Wisconsin's city distribution

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Sparta ranks #277 - the 63rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sparta only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#510 of 753
32nd percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#441 of 761
41st percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#412 of 754
45th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#277 of 761
63rd percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#476 of 761
37th percentile in Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

36thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sparta's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sparta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Sparta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sparta's home value compares nationally

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

$168,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sparta $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sparta, WI Sparta, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sparta, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sparta, WI median $60,517/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%
Sparta, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sparta, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.7%

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

Population
9,921
Median Income
$60,517
Median Home Value
$168,800
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
65.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3445.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
316.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3128.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.6°F
Annual Precipitation
35.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,850 residents9,900 residents9,950 residents10,000 residents10,050 residents10,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,038 residents 9,974 residents ▼ -0.6%
Sparta's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2022 4
2023 9
2024 10

Permit volume increased 150% from 2022 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.4 minutes
Drive Alone
77.5%
Carpool
9.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
8.1%
Other
3.0%

Based on 5,072 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sparta sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,036/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Reedsburg
10,060 people
Hartland
9,716 people
Sturgeon Bay
9,702 people
Elkhorn
10,259 people
New Richmond
10,334 people
Tomah
9,505 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sparta's 9,921 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bee Ridge, FL
9,921 people
St. Augustine Shores, FL
9,921 people
Brentwood, PA
9,927 people
Mission, KS
9,928 people
Locust Grove, GA
9,931 people
Ellisville, MO
9,908 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sparta's $60,517 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pendleton, SC
$60,517 median income
Tiro, OH
$60,515 median income
Montoursville, PA
$60,514 median income
Guy, AR
$60,521 median income
Pearl River, LA
$60,521 median income
Delhi, NY
$60,521 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sparta, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sparta, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.8% White 89.7% Black or African American 2.8% Asian 0.5% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.1% Two or more races 3.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sparta compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sparta (this city) 9,921 $60,517
Reedsburg 10,060 $71,991
Hartland 9,716 $87,297
Sturgeon Bay 9,702 $56,882
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sparta, WI?

What is the population of Sparta, WI? +

9,921 people live in Sparta, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sparta, WI? +

The median household income in Sparta is $60,517 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sparta? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sparta; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Sparta, WI safe? +

Sparta has a total crime rate of 3445.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sparta, WI? +

Homes in Sparta carry a median value of $168,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Sparta? +

Sparta has an average annual temperature of 44.6°F, 35.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.