Population 10,587 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sparta: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sparta
Household size in Sparta
| Period | Sparta | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.17 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.28 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.09 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.90 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Sparta holds 2.90 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 3.17 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Sparta are younger than 41.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the west.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.6% of households in Sparta, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 8.7% of households in Sparta rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 20.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.1 points, as it has nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 39 have a lower share of renters.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.6% 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 edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Sparta are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,533 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,637 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,379 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,849 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$316 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Sparta runs $1,849 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the New York area overall ($2,060). Rent has climbed $316 a month since 2006–10, up 21%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 41.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.7% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.0% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.1% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.2% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sparta: 61.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.4% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.5% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Sparta: 97.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 41 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sparta is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the New York area as a whole (6.9%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | 2.90 | 41.0 | 5.6% | 8.7% | 4.6% | 1985 | $1,849 | 61.2% | 97.6% | 5.5% |
| South Ogdensburg | 2.85 | 45.1 | 4.4% | 5.0% | 3.6% | 1994 | $1,835 | 69.7% | 97.7% | 7.5% |
| Lake Mohawk | 2.50 | 44.8 | 11.0% | 16.5% | 8.9% | 1964 | $1,923 | 63.3% | 98.4% | 4.6% |
| Ogdensburg | 2.55 | 41.1 | 8.1% | 10.4% | 10.3% | 1969 | $1,495 | 39.8% | 96.9% | 9.1% |
| Upper Mohawk | 3.00 | 42.1 | 9.2% | 8.8% | 2.3% | 1989 | $1,669 | 61.4% | 97.8% | 7.7% |
| Stockholm | 2.43 | 50.1 | 4.9% | 16.9% | 11.0% | 1968 | $2,070 | 40.5% | 93.9% | 6.8% |
| Lake Hopatcong | 2.44 | 46.5 | 9.4% | 8.7% | 8.5% | 1968 | $1,751 | 46.9% | 95.5% | 2.0% |
| Lafayette | 2.51 | 46.1 | 6.3% | 17.5% | 4.7% | 1979 | $1,748 | 43.5% | 95.7% | 4.9% |
| Franklin | 2.29 | 48.6 | 8.6% | 41.8% | 5.6% | 1958 | $1,390 | 20.6% | 91.3% | 7.1% |
| Oak Ridge | 2.61 | 46.2 | 2.8% | 12.5% | 2.5% | 1979 | $1,533 | 43.2% | 94.7% | 5.2% |
| Mount Hope | 2.53 | 45.1 | 19.3% | 3.5% | 5.7% | 1956 | $1,854 | 36.7% | 94.2% | 9.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Washington Terrace, UT · Canton, TX · Cape Canaveral, FL · Carl Junction, MO · Carthage, NC · Waller, TX · Walnut Cove, NC · Ward, AR · Ware, MA · Wareham Center, MA
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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.