Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety80#184/924
Economy64#331/925
Housing78#205/925
Health52#447/925
Healthcare66#316/923
Environment90#95/917
Education40#555/925
Infrastructure48#483/925
Community54#428/925
Leisure & amenities51#450/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Sparta, WI micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Preventable hospital stays · low1,241 /100k
98/100Wisconsin 2,596 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mammography screening · high59.0%
96/100Wisconsin 53.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Restaurants and bars · high14.0 /10k
93/100Wisconsin 12.7 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Unemployment rate · low2.9%
92/100Wisconsin 3.2%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Drought exposure · low4%
90/100Wisconsin 29%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.419
89/100Wisconsin 0.444United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083

Weaknesses

Adult obesity · high44.0%
5/100Wisconsin 39.2%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low0.9 /10k
11/100Wisconsin 1.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low2.2 /10k
14/100Wisconsin 4.8 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Physical inactivity · high30.5%
19/100Wisconsin 27.3%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · low59.5%
19/100Wisconsin 83.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Social associations · low8.2 /10k
20/100Wisconsin 11.1 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New business applicationsImproving
5.5 /1k (2020) → 9.7 /1k (2025)
+77%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Drought exposureImproving
18% (2021) → 4% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−15 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Grocery storesImproving
1.1 /10k (2020) → 1.7 /10k (2025)
+59%5 yearsUS 1.7 /10k → 1.7 /10k
Child care cost burdenWorsening
22.7% (2020 & 2021) → 34.2% (2023 & 2024)
+11 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Homicide rateImproving
4.0 /100k (2021) → 2.1 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−48%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Adult obesityWorsening
34.5% (2019) → 44.0% (2023)
+9.5 pts4 yearsUS 32.1% → 38.2%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Sparta, WI micropolitan area improved on 7 of 21 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 0 moved within the margin of error and 10 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved7

Grocery stores+59%1.1 /10k → 1.7 /10k
Restaurants+15%12.1 /10k → 14.0 /10k
New businesses+77%5.5 /1k → 9.7 /1k
Violent crime−21%252 /100k → 198 /100k
Real income+32%$46,644 → $61,761

Declined4

Pharmacies−20%1.1 /10k → 0.9 /10k
Firearm deaths+13%10.0 /100k → 11.3 /100k
Traffic deaths+11%14.4 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Suicides+6.1%16.5 /100k → 17.5 /100k

All 21 measures

Change of every measure of Sparta, WI micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.2 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	−0.6%	Little change	28%
Average commute time	19.9 min2015-2019	20.3 min2020-2024	+0.4 min	Little change	51%
Bachelor's degree or higher	20.6%2015-2019	21.3%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Little change	15%
Broadband subscriptions	78.3%2015-2019	87.1%2020-2024	+8.8 points	Improved	49%
Distance to an airport	86 mi2020	86 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	13.2 /100k2020	12.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−2.3%	Little change	30%
Firearm deaths	10.0 /100k2020	11.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+13%	Declined	31%
Grocery stores	1.1 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	+59%	Improved	98%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.6 /10k2020	0.6 /10k2025	−0.6%	Little change	40%
High school diploma or higher	90.9%2015-2019	90.8%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	6%
Homicide rate	2.1 /100k2020	2.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	0%	Little change	22%
Income adjusted for local prices	$46,6442019	$61,7612024	+32%	Improved	56%
New business applications	5.5 /1k2020	9.7 /1k2025	+77%	Improved	85%
Pharmacies	1.1 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−20%	Declined	19%
Public libraries	1.3 /10k2019	1.3 /10k2024	+0.4%	Little change	66%
Rent-burdened households	39.0%2015-2019	39.6%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Little change	53%
Restaurants and bars	12.1 /10k2020	14.0 /10k2025	+15%	Improved	88%
Suicide rate	16.5 /100k2020	17.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+6.1%	Declined	45%
Traffic deaths	14.4 /100k2015-2019	16.0 /100k2020-2024	+11%	Declined	43%
Unemployment rate	5.8%2020	2.9%2025	−2.9 points	Improved	47%
Violent crime rate	252 /100k2020	198 /100k2025	−21%	Improved	59%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Sparta, WI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Sparta, WI micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Sparta, WI micropolitan area itself moved +1 points in standing on average over the same 21 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

46,208 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

46,208 residents

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

White88%40,701
Black1.5%671
Hispanic or Latino5.8%2,664
Asian0.8%

Education

31,202 residents (±100)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma9.2%2,865
High school or GED35%11,000
Some college22%6,927
Associate degree

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

18,301 households (±234)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k13%2,454
$25k–50k21%3,929
$50k–75k19%3,505
$75k–100k13%2,444
$100k–150k19%3,474
$150k–200k8.2%1,502
$200k or more5.4%993

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

18,301 households (±234)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Own73%13,316
Rent27%4,985

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

4,426 households (±432)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75027%1,202
$750–1,00032%1,399
$1,000–1,50032%1,411
$1,500–2,0008.3%

Home values

13,316 homes (±419)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k28%3,763
$150k–250k35%4,625
$250k–400k23%3,125
$400k–750k12%1,599

Age of homes

20,022 homes (±57)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later9.0%1,812
2000–200914%2,885
1980–199927%5,352
1960–197919%3,779

Size of homes

20,022 homes (±57)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Studio2.1%†414
1 bedroom7.3%1,457
2 bedrooms26%5,117
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

21,686 workers (±563)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone77%16,792
Carpool8.2%1,781
Public transit0.2%†35
Walk2.6%554
Bike0.5%†103
Work from home9.0%1,952
Other2.2%†469

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

19,734 workers (±556)

Sparta, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min42%8,304
15–29 min33%6,586
30–44 min15%2,978
45–59 min5.7%1,128

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Sparta, WI micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Sparta, WI has 967 employer establishments, 209 for every 10,000 residents (0.84× the US rate of 248), with 16,790 paid employees at an average annual pay of $57,206. The Census Bureau also counts 2,792 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 967; 2,792 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 209; US 248
Paid employees: 16,790
Average annual pay: $57,206; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Sparta, WI by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	76	16.4	1.06×About typical	466	$81,966	253
Restaurants and other eating places	68	14.7	0.80×About typical	1,140	$17,306	4
Truck transportation	46	9.9	1.97×More than typical	952	$67,471	101
Ambulatory health care services	43	9.3	0.45×Fewer than typical	627	$72,526	59
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	37	8	6.60×More than typical	208	$13,635	8
Religious organizations	35	7.6	1.36×More than typical	247	$20,567	—
Full-service restaurants	34	7.4	0.96×About typical	346	$16,364	—
Building equipment contractors	33	7.1	1.19×About typical	173	$63,665	41
Lessors of real estate	27	5.8	0.47×Fewer than typical	97	$48,443	313
Gasoline stations	25	5.4	1.67×More than typical	438	$28,655	3
Limited-service restaurants	25	5.4	0.67×Fewer than typical	657	$18,699	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	24	5.2	1.18×About typical	66	$72,091	32

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 46,246 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $85.6M on contracts performed in Sparta, WI micropolitan area: $1,838 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $85.6M; −36% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,838; US $1,994
Sole-source: 18%; US 30%
Single offer: 4.9%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$67.7M79%
Department of Veterans Affairs$11M13%
Agricultural Marketing Service$3.4M4.0%
Federal Acquisition Service$2.9M3.4%
Department of State$281.1K0.3%
Defense Logistics Agency$236K0.3%
Defense Information Systems Agency$108.6K0.1%

Top recipients

GRYPHON ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC$11.2M13%
ADVANCIA GOVERNMENT SERVICES LLC$9.4M11%
AMERITECH CONTRACTING LLC$5.7M6.6%
VANQUISH WORLDWIDE L.L.C.$5.6M6.5%
CCS KING GEORGE LLC$4.7M5.5%

Spending by fiscal year

119.5MFY2017
156.4MFY2018
155.2MFY2019
131.1MFY2020
151.5MFY2021
275.9MFY2022
205.7MFY2023
229.9M

Top industries (NAICS)

Facilities support services · 5612$28.4M33%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$14M16%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$11.2M13%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$4.6M5.3%
Special food services · 7223$4.2M4.9%
Animal slaughtering and processing · 3116

Largest awards

DESIGN/BID/BUILD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO (2) NEW 48,000SF, 4-STORY, COLLECTIVE TRAINING OFFICERS QUARTERS (CTOQ) AT FT. MCCOY, WISCONSIN.$55M
BLINDERMANPOWER LLC· Monroe County, WI· Construction & real property· May 30, 2024 – May 21, 2026· W912QR24C0013
DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE PLANS FINANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES$47.2M
GRYPHON ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC· Monroe County, WI· Professional services· Jul 8, 2021 – Sep 2, 2026· 47QFSA21F0090
THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE ALL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, LABOR, SUPERVISION, PERSONNEL, AND SHALL DO ALL THINGS NECESSARY THAT WILL RESULT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EHRM INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES PROJECT.$35.5M
RICHARD GROUP LLC· Monroe County, WI· Construction & real property· Aug 25, 2022 – Apr 23, 2026· 36C77622C0107

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $338.7M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Sparta, WI micropolitan area: $7,272 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $338.7M; −3.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,272; US $12,955
Loan face value: $18.7M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.8%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$173M51%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$63.2M19%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$24M7.1%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$13.8M4.1%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$13.3M3.9%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$7M2.1%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$6.8M2.0%
14.867 · Indian Housing Block Grants$6.7M2.0%

Top recipients (organizations)

HO-CHUNK NATION TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY$14.4M4.2%
TOMAH, WI
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$7.5M2.2%
MADISON, WI
TOMAH PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY$6.9M2.0%
TOMAH, WI
HO-CHUNK HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY$6.7M2.0%
TOMAH, WI
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS WISCONSIN

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$217.6M64%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$69.5M21%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education$14.4M4.2%
Department of the Interior
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$14.2M4.2%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Federal Highway Administration

Assistance by fiscal year

314.7MFY2021
326.8MFY2022
306.3MFY2023
299.7MFY2024
352.6MFY2025
338.7MFY2026

County aggregates

86%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Sparta, WI

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Monroe CountyCentral county7446,572

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

SpartaPrincipal city9,950

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Wisconsin

Areas based in Wisconsin, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN95

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M43890

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved7

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like Sparta, WI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Sparta, WI

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Wisconsin

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved7

Declined4

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought