Sparta vs Spencer
Sparta, Tennessee versus Spencer, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Spencer edges out Sparta on overall objective livability (59 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Sparta | Spencer |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $43k | $41k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $43k |
| Home Value | $183k | $120k |
| Monthly Rent | $759 | $567 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $357 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.48% | 0.42% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.23% | 4.38% |
| Unemployment | 10.9% | 0.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.7 in | 59.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.0 in | 5.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 221 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 97 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.2 | 57.2 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 29.5 | 45.7 |
| Violent Crime | 941/100k | 314/100k |
| Property Crime | 2343/100k | 63/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,950 | 1,469 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 47.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.79 |
| Political Leaning | R+64 | R+62 |
| White (%) | 85.0% | 92.7% |
| Black (%) | 5.9% | 0.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.9% | 0.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 6.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.8/20 | 4.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 69 mi | 73 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.8% | 82.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.26 | 6.81 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sparta or Spencer more affordable?
- Spencer has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Sparta's $44k and Spencer's $43k. Median rent is $759 in Sparta versus $567 in Spencer.
- Is Sparta or Spencer safer?
- Spencer has the lower violent crime rate. Sparta reports 941/100k and Spencer reports 314/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Sparta or Spencer?
- The median home value is $183k in Sparta and $120k in Spencer, so homes are more affordable in Spencer.