Editing Sparta, Missouri

{{For|the community in Buchanan County|Sparta, Buchanan County, Missouri}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Sparta, Missouri
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|map_caption              = Location of Sparta, Missouri
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<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Missouri]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Christian County, Missouri|Christian]]
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|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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|population_total         = 1876
|population_density_km2   = 584.83
|population_density_sq_mi = 1514.12

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|coordinates              = {{coord|37|0|1|N|93|5|0|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 65753
|area_code                = [[Area code 417|417]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 29-69302<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
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'''Sparta''' is a city in north central [[Christian County, Missouri|Christian County]], [[Missouri]], United States. The population was 1,756 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].

Sparta is part of the [[Springfield, Missouri]] [[Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
A post office called Sparta has been in operation since 1876.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?state=MO | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=19 September 2016}}</ref> The city's name is a transfer from [[Sparta, Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_christian.html| title=Christian County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived)| publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| access-date=19 September 2016| url-status=bot: unknown| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071710/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_christian.html| archive-date=24 June 2016}}</ref>  Sparta got rail service when a subsidiary of the [[St. Louis–San Francisco Railway]] (Frisco) extended a line from [[Ozark, Missouri]] to [[Chadwick, Missouri]] in the Spring of 1883.<ref name=Frisco>{{cite web|url= http://www.condrenrails.com/Frisco/Frisco-Museum-All-Aboards/AA1988.8.v3.3.pdf |title= An Early Mobile Photographic Studio | publisher=All Aboard, The Frisco Railroad Museum, August, 1988 (accessed on CondrenRails.com) | access-date=October 14, 2020}}</ref>  But passenger service on the Frisco line was discontinued in March 1933,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2020/04/05/pokin-around-chadwick-flyer-railroad-train-line-ozark-greenways/2942811001/ |title= Pokin Around: Plans call for part of Chadwick Flyer spur line to become recreational trail | publisher=Steve Pokin, Springfield News-Leader, April 4, 2020}}</ref> and in 1934 the line from Ozark to Chadwick was abandoned entirely.<ref name=Frisco />

==Geography==
Sparta is in north central Christian County on the south edge of the [[Ozark Highlands (ecoregion)#Springfield Plateau (39a)|Springfield Plateau]]. The community lies at the intersection of [[Missouri Route 14]] and [[Missouri Route 125]] approximately six miles east of [[Ozark, Missouri|Ozark]]. To the south and southeast the edge of the plateau is dissected by the headwaters of [[Bull Creek (Lake Taneycomo)|Bull]] and [[Swan Creek (White River)|Swan]] creeks.<ref>''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 1998, First edition, p. 62, {{ISBN|0-89933-224-2}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 23
|1900= 300
|1910= 271
|1920= 257
|1930= 243
|1940= 237
|1950= 244
|1960= 272
|1970= 380
|1980= 743
|1990= 751
|2000= 1144
|2010= 1756
|2020= 1876
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,756 people, 696 households, and 476 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1416.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|inhabitants&nbsp;|inhabitants|}}. There were 763 housing units at an average density of {{convert|615.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.6% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.5% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.6% of the population.

There were 696 households, of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 29.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.3% were from 25 to 44; 18.8% were from 45 to 64; and 12.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,144 people, 463 households, and 324 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,304.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|inhabitants&nbsp;|inhabitants|}}. There were 509 housing units at an average density of {{convert|580.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.50% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.87% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.35% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.35% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.66% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.22% of the population.

There were 463 households, out of which 87.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 45.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city the population was spread out, with 10.9% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 10.3% from 25 to 44, 38.6% from 45 to 64, and 64.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 62 years. For every 100 females, there were 60.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 61.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $16,768, and the median income for a family was $17,981. Males had a median income of $15,227 versus $11,206 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $6,869. About 34.3% of families and 87.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.1% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and infrastructure==
Sparta has a Mayor and Board of Alderman with 2 wards and 2 alderman per ward. As of April 2023, the mayor is Misty Holt.  Board of Alderman are Jarrett Iorg, Amy Hammons, Jeb Bushman and Jim Campbell.

Sparta provides policing services through the Sparta Police Department. Since March 2016, the chief of police is Trampus Taylor of Ava, Missouri.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/christian-county/2016/03/30/sparta-hires-new-police-chief/82435930/|title=Sparta hires new police chief|work=Springfield News-Leader|access-date=2018-04-09|language=en}}</ref> Sparta has one patrol officer and some reserve police officers. The Christian County Sheriff's office provides services when no Sparta police officer is available.

==Education==
The [[Sparta R-III School District]] is a K–12 institution of about 750 students that serves Sparta and the surrounding area and has been led by Landon Gray since 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2017/07/16/sparta-district-promotes-middle-school-principal-superintendent/482797001/|title=Sparta district promotes middle school principal to superintendent|work=Springfield News-Leader|access-date=2018-04-09|language=en}}</ref>

==Notable person==
* [[William T. Tyndall]], Missouri congressman (1905-1907) and Sparta postmaster (1891-1893, 1897–1905)

==References==
<references />

{{Christian County, Missouri}}
{{Missouri}}

[[Category:Cities in Christian County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Springfield metropolitan area, Missouri]]