The Town FilesSparks, Nevada
City in Washoe County · population 108,445 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $483,800
- Household income
- $89,056
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 37.2
Sparks is a city of 108,445 people in Washoe County, Nevada. The median home is worth $483,800, above the typical Nevada town ($361,550). It ranks more of a college town than 96% of Nevada towns, more walkable than 89% of Nevada towns, more vibrant than 89% of Nevada towns.
How Sparks ranks
Percentile among Nevada towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nevada towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sparks is worth $483,800, above the typical Nevada town ($361,550). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $89,056, which is more affordable than 36% of Nevada towns. Median rent is $1,716 a month. 59.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sparks | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $483,800 | $361,550 |
| Median rent | $1,716 | $1,386 |
| Median household income | $89,056 | $78,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 4.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.8% | 72.5% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Sparks
| People | Sparks | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 | 44.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 21.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 19.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 9.0% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 24.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 92.1% |
Weather in Sparks
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 24.7°F. About 8.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.8 inches of snow (typical Nevada town: 16.7 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Nevada town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 16, 1973 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 1, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 2005.
Severe weather in Washoe County since 1996
Washoe County has been included in 54 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2026 | Fire | FM-5678: Bull Fire |
| September 1, 2026 | Fire | EM-3653: Hawk Fire |
| August 22, 2026 | Fire | FM-5674: Hawk Fire |
| August 11, 2026 | Fire | FM-5667: Fred Mountain Fire |
| August 11, 2026 | Fire | FM-5668: Stallion Fire |
Jobs and pay in Washoe County
Washoe County had 240,544 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,452 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Sparks itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Sparks
35 public schools with 22,717 students, about 20.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD C. REED HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,119 | 25.8 |
| PROCTER R. HUG HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,091 | 22.7 |
| SPANISH SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,060 | 24.8 |
| SKY RANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,339 | 25.8 |
| SPARKS HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,278 | 22.8 |
| Pinecrest Academy of Northern Nevada (charter) | K-8 | 997 | 29.3 |
| LOU MENDIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 902 | 23.7 |
| JOHN BOHACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 835 | 20.4 |
| YVONNE SHAW MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 745 | 21.3 |
| BUD BEASLEY ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 626 | 20.2 |
| SPARKS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 606 | 19.5 |
| GEORGE L. DILWORTH S.T.E.M ACADEMY | 6-8 | 598 | 17.6 |
Towns near Sparks
- Sun Valley, NV4.1 mi · 21,178 people · home $349,100
- Spanish Springs, NV6.1 mi · 17,314 people · home $623,900
- Reno, NV7.4 mi · 264,165 people · home $548,300
- Lemmon Valley, NV10.0 mi · 4,987 people · home $384,000
- Cold Springs, NV16.2 mi · 10,153 people · home $433,300
- Washoe Valley, NV19.8 mi · 3,074 people · home $609,700
- Dayton, NV22.8 mi · 15,153 people · home $433,200
- Incline Village, NV24.6 mi · 9,462 people · home $1,454,600
Sparks questions
Is Sparks, Nevada a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sparks scores better for retirees than 18% of Nevada towns and quieter than 11%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.2).
How much does a house cost in Sparks?
The median owner-occupied home in Sparks is valued at $483,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,056, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,716 a month.
What is the weather like in Sparks?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 24.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.8 inches of snow.
Does Sparks get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 16, 1973. The typical Nevada town has had 1.
- 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)