Town guide

Sparta, Minnesota

Sparta is a township in Chippewa County, Minnesota, home to about 678 people across 39 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56265.

Homes sold for a median of $115 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.

Population67818 per sq mi
Median home value$255,200Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$115Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking10%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Sparta

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Sparta. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Sparta’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Sparta

Distances

Nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)120 miles away
Closer regional airportWatertown Regional Airport (ATY)72 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN118 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL456 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Sparta; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Sparta

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Sparta had 741 residents in the 2020 census, down 9% since 2000.

It’s the 838th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.

Chippewa County grew from 12,499 residents in 1900 to 12,598 in 2020.

Sparta population by census2000: 814, 2010: 748, 2020: 741814200074820107412020

Chippewa County, 1900–2020

Chippewa County population, 1900 to 20201900: 12,499, 1910: 13,458, 1920: 15,720, 1930: 15,762, 1940: 16,927, 1950: 16,739, 1960: 16,320, 1970: 15,109, 1980: 14,941, 1990: 13,228, 2000: 13,088, 2010: 12,441, 2020: 12,59812K’00’1016K’20’3017K’40’5016K’60’7015K’80’9013K’00’1013K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 2°F. About 29.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 46 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near SpartaJan: high 22°F, low 2°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 27°F, low 5°F, 0.8 in; Mar: high 39°F, low 18°F, 1.9 in; Apr: high 55°F, low 32°F, 2.5 in; May: high 69°F, low 45°F, 3.7 in; Jun: high 79°F, low 56°F, 4.4 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 60°F, 3.8 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 57°F, 4 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 48°F, 3 in; Oct: high 59°F, low 35°F, 2.5 in; Nov: high 42°F, low 21°F, 1.6 in; Dec: high 28°F, low 9°F, 0.8 in22°2°Jan0.727°5°Feb0.839°18°Mar1.955°32°Apr2.569°45°May3.779°56°Jun4.482°60°Jul3.880°57°Aug4.074°48°Sep3.059°35°Oct2.542°21°Nov1.628°9°Dec0.8Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Montevideo 1sw, MN weather station (4 miles away).

Jobs in Chippewa County

4,524 jobs at 372 businesses in Chippewa County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Chippewa CountyManufacturing: 1,171 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 1,098 jobs; Retail trade: 633 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 282 jobs; Other services: 270 jobs; Finance and insurance: 210 jobs; Construction: 188 jobs; Wholesale trade: 155 jobsManufacturing 26% Health care and social assistance 24% Retail trade 14% Hotels and restaurants 6% Other services 6% Finance and insurance 5% Construction 4% Wholesale trade 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

74 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Sparta.

Nearest hospitals

  • Chippewa County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Montevideo2.1 miles
  • Avera Granite FallsCritical access hospital · emergency room · Granite Falls12.9 miles
  • Johnson Memorial HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Dawson19.3 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors17
Specialist doctors7
Dentists7
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants17
Mental health providers11
Physical and occupational therapists5
Optometrists2
Chiropractors8
Pharmacies3

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Sparta

Parks (4 nearby)

  • J Harley Smith Park · 16 acres2.9 mi
  • Windom Park · 14 acres2.5 mi
  • Chinhinta Park · 7 acres2.8 mi
  • Larson Park · 4 acres2.4 mi

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Walmart Supercenter1.4 mi

Libraries (3 nearby)

  • C A Rolloff Law Library2.2 mi
  • C A Rolloff Law Library2.2 mi
  • Montevideo Chippewa County Public Library2.9 mi

Museums

  • Swensson Farm Museum7.5 mi

Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Sparta

Public schools here are run by Montevideo Public School District, Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop, MN River Valley Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (9)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Hawks Nest Early Childhood CenterMontevideoPre-K34Public1.9 mi
Ramsey ElementaryMontevideoK–2260Public2.2 mi
SWWC ELC - MontevideoMontevideoK–1230Special Education1.6 mi
Sanford Elementary SchoolMontevideo1–4277Public2.5 mi
Montevideo MiddleMontevideo5–8393Public2.4 mi
MN River Valley ALC-SeatbasedMontevideo7–1270Alternative Education2.1 mi
Mn River Valley Alc-SummerMontevideo7–10—Alternative Education2.1 mi
MN River Valley Ed-Online LearningMontevideo9–12—Public2.1 mi
Montevideo Senior HighMontevideo9–12408Public2.6 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Sparta

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Shares ZIP codes with Montevideo, Rosewood, Camp Release, Leenthrop, Havelock, Mandt, Tunsberg, Stony Run, Lac qui Parle, Big Bend, Baxter Township and Grace.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.