Population 13,674 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sparta
Household size in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.75 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.84 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
At 2.63 people per household, Sparta sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.68, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.3 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in Sparta is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in the Grand Rapids area as a whole, where the median age is 38.3. The median age has climbed from 35.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Sparta: 8.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sparta
Renters in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.1% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.9 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Sparta is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 11.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 38.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has fallen 7.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.3% of homes in Sparta are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.5 points, mirroring the country. Sparta has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Michigan cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Sparta was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $679 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $847 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $748 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,004 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$325 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sparta pays $1,004 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $325 a month since 2006–10, up 48%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sparta
Bachelor's degrees in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.3% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.2% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Sparta than nationally: 29.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.7% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.5% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sparta is above the national rate: 92.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Grand Rapids area. The share with a diploma has risen 4.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Sparta: 6.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.7 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sparta compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta | 2.63 | 40.9 | 8.5% | 11.2% | 4.3% | 1979 | $1,004 | 29.2% | 92.5% | 6.2% |
| Edgerton | 2.82 | 42.5 | 7.0% | 1.3% | 2.6% | 1989 | $1,110 | 26.5% | 97.2% | 0.9% |
| Kent City | 2.90 | 38.4 | 7.7% | 13.2% | 4.2% | 1982 | $1,100 | 16.6% | 89.2% | 8.0% |
| Wright | 2.98 | 37.0 | 7.4% | 5.5% | 6.8% | 1980 | $1,288 | 31.2% | 94.4% | 2.6% |
| Alpine | 2.51 | 44.3 | 4.0% | 21.6% | 8.5% | 1983 | $1,221 | 30.3% | 93.9% | 1.8% |
| Comstock Park | 2.50 | 37.4 | 13.7% | 35.3% | 7.1% | 1986 | $1,270 | 29.8% | 91.3% | 6.3% |
| Belmont | 2.79 | 43.8 | 6.4% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 1994 | $1,265 | 50.5% | 96.0% | 3.9% |
| Cedar Springs | 2.59 | 42.9 | 10.3% | 12.9% | 4.8% | 1990 | $1,134 | 23.7% | 93.9% | 3.7% |
| Rockford | 2.72 | 40.2 | 7.5% | 9.7% | 4.3% | 1994 | $1,380 | 52.2% | 97.3% | 3.7% |
| Casnovia | 3.24 | 33.6 | 9.1% | 15.4% | 3.5% | 1975 | $1,105 | 20.9% | 91.9% | 8.2% |
| Northview | 2.42 | 41.9 | 13.0% | 20.8% | 3.1% | 1979 | $1,330 | 39.7% | 95.1% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tecumseh, MI · Conneaut, OH · Coopersburg, PA · Corona Del Mar, CA · Cortland, OH · Coto Laurel, PR · Galax, VA · Sunbury, PA · Taylorsville, KY · Teays Valley, WV
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sparta. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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