The Town FilesSparks, Georgia
Town in Cook County · population 2,043 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,300
- Household income
- $39,191
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 36.2
Sparks is a town of 2,043 people in Cook County, Georgia. The median home is worth $86,300, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks hipper than 72% of Georgia towns.
How Sparks ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sparks is worth $86,300, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $39,191, which is more affordable than 88% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $929 a month. 43.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sparks | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,300 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $929 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $39,191 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 43.9% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Sparks
| People | Sparks | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.9% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 30.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.3% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.6% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.7% | 88.0% |
Weather in Sparks
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 82 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 21 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on January 22, 2017 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 1998.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4821: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607: Hurricane Debby |
| September 7, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4738: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 4,662 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,348 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Sparks itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Sparks
2 public schools with 1,306 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County Middle School | 6-8 | 666 | 11.9 |
| Cook Elementary School | 3-5 | 640 | 11.2 |
Towns near Sparks
- Adel, GA3.2 mi · 5,571 people · home $154,900
- Lenox, GA6.5 mi · 752 people · home $89,700
- Nashville, GA11.8 mi · 4,947 people · home $133,900
- Hahira, GA12.8 mi · 3,384 people · home $206,500
- Berlin, GA12.8 mi · 511 people · home $111,200
- Omega, GA14.8 mi · 1,318 people · home $82,500
- Morven, GA15.9 mi · 506 people · home $185,900
- Norman Park, GA16.0 mi · 963 people · home $92,700
Sparks questions
Is Sparks, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sparks scores better for retirees than 20% of Georgia towns and quieter than 43%. 9.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Sparks?
The median owner-occupied home in Sparks is valued at $86,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,191, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $929 a month.
What is the weather like in Sparks?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sparks get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on January 22, 2017. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)