The Town FilesSparks, Texas
Community in El Paso County · population 4,760 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $103,800
- Household income
- $34,876
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 30.9
Sparks is a community of 4,760 people in El Paso County, Texas. The median home is worth $103,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 84% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 82% of Texas towns.
How Sparks ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sparks is worth $103,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $34,876, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,080 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sparks | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,080 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $34,876 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sparks
| People | Sparks | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.3% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 34.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 51.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 36.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sparks
July highs average 95.8°F and January lows 34.5°F. About 8.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 117 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 42 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 1992 about 2.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 22, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on November 4, 2016.
Severe weather in El Paso County since 1996
El Paso County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
| September 10, 2008 | Hurricane | EM-3294: Hurricane Ike |
Jobs and pay in El Paso County
El Paso County had 333,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,230 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Sparks itself the ACS puts it at 9.6%.
Public schools in Sparks
2 public schools with 1,586 students, about 20.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISSION RIDGE | PK-5 | 1,018 | 23.7 |
| DESERT WIND EL | PK-8 | 568 | 15.8 |
Towns near Sparks
- Socorro, TX2.6 mi · 34,306 people · home $144,500
- Horizon City, TX2.9 mi · 22,489 people · home $170,200
- Agua Dulce, TX6.2 mi · 3,218 people · home $120,600
- San Elizario, TX6.6 mi · 10,116 people · home $110,400
- Homestead Meadows South, TX10.5 mi · 7,142 people · home $173,500
- Fabens, TX12.3 mi · 7,498 people · home $95,500
- Homestead Meadows North, TX12.8 mi · 5,210 people · home $192,800
- Fort Bliss, TX14.0 mi · 11,260 people · home —
Sparks questions
Is Sparks, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sparks scores better for retirees than 2% of Texas towns and quieter than 3%. 6.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Sparks?
The median owner-occupied home in Sparks is valued at $103,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $34,876, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,080 a month.
What is the weather like in Sparks?
July highs average 95.8°F and January lows 34.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Sparks get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sparks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 1992. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)