The Town FilesSparta, Tennessee
City in White County · population 4,998 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,000
- Household income
- $50,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 46.8
Sparta is a city of 4,998 people in White County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $217,000, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more walkable than 71% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 70% of Tennessee towns.
How Sparta ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sparta is worth $217,000, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $50,080, which is more affordable than 27% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $731 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sparta | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,000 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $731 | $863 |
| Median household income | $50,080 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sparta
| People | Sparta | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Sparta
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 58.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.0 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparta since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 4, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 19, 2011.
Severe weather in White County since 1996
White County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in White County
White County had 7,157 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,063 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sparta itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Sparta
7 public schools with 3,547 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| White County High School | 9-12 | 1,067 | 14.2 |
| White Co Middle School | 6-8 | 835 | 14.9 |
| Woodland Park Elementary | PK-5 | 506 | 14.9 |
| Findlay Elementary | PK-5 | 418 | 14.4 |
| Northfield Elementary School | PK-5 | 300 | 14.3 |
| Cassville Elementary | PK-5 | 231 | 14.4 |
| Bon De Croft Elementary | PK-5 | 190 | 11.2 |
Towns near Sparta
- Cookeville, TN14.8 mi · 34,842 people · home $305,400
- Algood, TN18.4 mi · 3,963 people · home $190,300
- Monterey, TN18.6 mi · 2,746 people · home $165,000
- Smithville, TN19.6 mi · 5,004 people · home $194,200
- Lake Tansi, TN23.5 mi · 4,629 people · home $280,900
- McMinnville, TN24.4 mi · 13,788 people · home $182,200
- Crossville, TN24.8 mi · 12,071 people · home $246,300
Sparta questions
Is Sparta, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sparta scores better for retirees than 36% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 30%. 27.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.8).
How much does a house cost in Sparta?
The median owner-occupied home in Sparta is valued at $217,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,080, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $731 a month.
What is the weather like in Sparta?
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.7 inches of precipitation a year and 5.0 inches of snow.
Does Sparta get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- 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)