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Sparta vs Delavan

142 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (8.6× in Delavan) and rent (+27% in Delavan).

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Sparta, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 9,950 people
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Delavan, WIHomes around $338KWisconsin · 8,689 people
Swap order
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.

SpartaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 33%of WI districts Housing$280K typical home17% below the WI typical home Outdoors#164 most walkable in WI0.8 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves All about Sparta →
DelavanHomes around $338K
Housing$338K typical home0% above the WI typical home SchoolsBetter than 36%of WI districts HealthHealthier than 50%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Delavan →
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.

Trails8.6×
Delavan has more miles of trail
Delavan 6.9 miSparta 0.8 mi
Rent+27%
Rent runs higher in Delavan
Delavan $1,094Sparta $861
Home values+21%
Homes cost more in Delavan
Delavan $218,800Sparta $180,600
Work in town+12.5 pts
More of Sparta’s workers stay in town
Sparta 33.3%Delavan 20.8%
Growth since 2010+4.8 pts
Sparta has grown faster since 2010
Sparta +5.3%Delavan +0.5%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Delavan places higher on 12 of 21 WI lists

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

Safety
C−SpartaSafer than 18% of U.S. towns B−DelavanSafer than 53% of U.S. towns
Schools
CSpartaBetter than 33% of districts in the state C+DelavanBetter than 36% of districts in the state
Health
C−SpartaHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns B−DelavanHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns
8Sparta
12Delavan

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 366 towns #345#10 Most new homesHousing · 294 towns #251#21 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 371 towns #320#174 Fewest smokersHealth · 366 towns #324#181 Cheapest rentCost of living · 348 towns #60#181 Fastest growingGrowth · 358 towns #157#271 SafestSafety · 161 towns #152#105 Most activeHealth · 366 towns #348#268

Left end = #1 in Wisconsin. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Sparta’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Delavan

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.

Sparta$1,850/mo
Typical home $280K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.64% · or rent about $861/mo · Housing →
Delavan$2,210/mo
Typical home $338K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.55% · or rent about $1,094/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Delavan and Sparta.

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.

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
SpartaDelavan
Snow a year55″34″
January low11°F12°F
July high81°F82°F
Growing season (days)170d157d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd12th
Outdoors & history
SpartaDelavan
Trails1 mi7 mi
Conserved land3.1%4.3%
National Register places67
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here1310
Community
SpartaDelavan
Library hours a week51 hrs47 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

142 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SpartaWIDelavanWI
Sparta ↔ Delavan142 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.

SpartaDelavan
People
Population 9,950Highest 8,689Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.3%Highest WI: +3.6% +0.5%Lowest WI: +3.6%
Median age 37.1±2.4Lowest 8% below WI 38.1±2.8Highest 5% below WI
Delavan and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.4%±3.1Highest WI: 21.4% 17.6%±3.4Lowest WI: 21.4%
Sparta and Delavan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.4%±2.9Lowest WI: 18.5% 19.1%±3.8Highest WI: 18.5%
Delavan and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.7%Lowest WI: 33.4% 23.9%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1Lowest WI: 5.8% 2.9%±1.4Highest WI: 5.8%
Delavan and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $64,973±$6kLowest 16% below WI $65,357±$14kHighest 16% below WI
Delavan and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $180,600±$11kLowest 32% below WI $218,800±$17kHighest 18% below WI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $861±$61Lowest 21% below WI $1,094±$78Highest about the WI average
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,963Lowest 22% below WI $3,400Highest 10% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.7%±8.1Lowest WI: 43.7% 46.9%±13.4Highest WI: 43.7%
Delavan and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.3%Highest WI: 10.6% 10.2%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.6%Highest WI: 67.8% 59.1%Lowest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest same as WI 1968Lowest 7 yrs older than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minHighest 13% below WI 19 minLowest 17% below WI
Work from home 10.2%±3.1Highest WI: 13.1% 8.2%±3.2Lowest WI: 13.1%
Sparta and Delavan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 33.3%Highest 20.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.41 1.41
Top workplaceoutside town La Crosse (12%)Elkhorn (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DelavanFew work in Sparta
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 4.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 6.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Lowest 16Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 44.2Highest 38.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #236 of 262 in WI#248 of 262 in WI
School district Sparta Area School DistrictDelavan-Darien School District
High school in town Sparta HighDelavan-Darien High
Students per teacherat that high school 14.8Highest 13.5Lowest
Wisconsin 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.

Sparta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sparta’s Town Square.

Delavan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Delavan’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Sparta

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Sparta3,225 people · $275K homes
A
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Angelo1,669 people · $212K homes

Towns like Sparta

P
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Portage10,236 people · $205K homes
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Waupun11,174 people · $189K homes
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Rhinelander8,316 people · $126K homes
B
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Baraboo12,769 people · $222K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Wisconsin towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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