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Compare towns

Madison vs Sparta

64 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.3× in Madison) and work in town (+18.5 pts in Sparta).

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Madison, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 2,242 people
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Sparta, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 1,928 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

MadisonA regional job hub
Work1,867 jobsbased in Madison, a regional job hub Housing$226K typical home32% below the NC typical home Health68% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Madison →
SpartaA regional job hub
Work1,571 jobsbased in Sparta, a regional job hub Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$250K typical home25% below the NC typical home All about Sparta →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails4.3×
Madison has more miles of trail
Madison 1.7 miSparta 0.4 mi
Work in town+18.5 pts
More of Sparta’s workers stay in town
Sparta 27%Madison 8.5%
Growth since 2010+8.8 pts
Sparta has grown faster since 2010
Sparta +3.6%Madison -5.2%
Average commute5 min
Sparta has the shorter commute
Madison 20 minSparta 15 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Madison$1,350/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $830/mo · Housing →
Sparta$1,450/mo
Typical home $250K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $563/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Sparta and Madison.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CMadisonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns –SpartaNot graded
Schools
C+MadisonBetter than 43% of districts in the state B−SpartaBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
CMadisonHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns CSpartaHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MadisonSparta
Snow a year9″19″
January low29°F22°F
July high87°F84°F
Growing season (days)202d180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th29th
Outdoors & history
MadisonSparta
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land5.3%4%
National Register places32
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here6—
Community
MadisonSparta
Library hours a week53 hrs50 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MadisonNCSpartaNC
Madison ↔ Sparta64 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MadisonSparta
People
Population 2,242Highest 1,928Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.2%Lowest NC: +9.5% +3.6%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 47.5±4.6Lowest 21% above NC 51±6.1Highest 30% above NC
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 13.9%±4.1Lowest NC: 21.8% 15.9%±4.4Highest NC: 21.8%
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.2%±4.3Lowest NC: 17.2% 31.3%±6.3Highest NC: 17.2%
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Lowest NC: 35.7% 21.3%Highest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±4.2Highest NC: 6.4% 3.9%±2.3Lowest NC: 6.4%
Madison and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $52,593±$9kHighest 27% below NC $42,454±$9kLowest 41% below NC
Madison and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $184,900±$34kLowest 36% below NC $209,600±$53kHighest 27% below NC
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $830±$146Highest 32% below NC $563±$144Lowest 54% below NC
Madison and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,598Highest 16% below NC $1,442Lowest 24% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.3%±12Lowest NC: 48.9% 54.2%±21.5Highest NC: 48.9%
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8%Lowest NC: 13% 21.5%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.7%Lowest NC: 66.6% 58.2%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 31 yrs older than NC 1970Highest 21 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 20% below NC 15 minLowest 40% below NC
Work from home 10.1%±6Lowest NC: 16.3% 23.7%±13.8Highest NC: 16.3%
Sparta and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.5%Lowest 27%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.91Lowest 2.52Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Greensboro (19%)Charlotte (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SpartaFew work in Madison
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.3%Highest 4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.7 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.8Lowest 56.7Highest
Schools
School district Rockingham County SchoolsAlleghany County Schools
High school in town None in townAlleghany High
Students per teacherat that high school — 11.7
North Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Madison neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Madison’s Town Square.

Sparta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sparta’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Madison

M
+ Compare
Mayodan2,401 people · $121K homes

Towns like Madison

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Wallace3,457 people · $178K homes
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Andrews1,998 people · $99K homes
H
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Hertford1,618 people · $177K homes
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Spruce Pine2,398 people · $208K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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