Sparta, TN

The affordability dashboard for Sparta, TN aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 23,825 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C- (50/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $54,644, median home value of $207,800, median rent of $861 per month, and 15.2% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $992 per month (studio $751, 1BR $756, 3BR $1,240, 4BR $1,579). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $6,811 per year, consuming 12% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Sparta, TN include rent. Pressure points are education. Unemployment currently reads 5.9% and poverty 14.0% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.