Sparta, Georgia

Sparta, Georgia
City
Sparta Historic District
Sparta Historic District
Location in Hancock County and the state of Georgia
Location in Hancock County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°17′N 82°58′W / 33.283°N 82.967°W / 33.283; -82.967
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyHancock
EstablishedDecember 5, 1805
Area
 • Total
1.82 sq mi (4.72 km2)
 • Land1.81 sq mi (4.69 km2)
 • Water0.012 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,357
 • Density749.2/sq mi (289.27/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
31087
Area code706
FIPS code13-72584
GNIS feature ID0323330
Websitewww.cityofsparta.org

Sparta is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Georgia, United States. The city's population was 1,357 at the 2020 census.

History

Sparta was founded in 1795 in the newly formed Hancock County. It became the county seat in 1797, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and later as a city in 1893. The community was named after Sparta, a city-state in Ancient Greece.

In 1864, during Sherman's March to the Sea, the town remained completely unscathed, reportedly due to the efforts of Confederate Captain Henry Culver, the son-in-law of local industrialist William Fraley, who successfully diverted Union troops away from the area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), all land.

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880848—
18901,54081.6%
19001,150−25.3%
19101,71549.1%
19201,89510.5%
19301,613−14.9%
19401,87216.1%
19501,9544.4%
19601,921−1.7%
19702,17213.1%
19801,754−19.2%
19901,710−2.5%
20001,522−11.0%
20101,400−8.0%
20201,357−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850-1870 1870-1880
1890-1910 1920-1930
1940 1950 1960
1970 1980 1990
2000 2010

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Sparta had a population of 1,357. The median age was 49.0 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.9 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 546 households in Sparta, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 25.1% were married-couple households, 24.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 44.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 651 housing units, of which 16.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.

Racial composition as of the 2020 census
RaceNumberPercent
White18913.9%
Black or African American1,11682.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native10.1%
Asian231.7%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race00.0%
Two or more races282.1%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)110.8%

Economy

Sparta is the site of Georgia's Hancock State Prison.

Education

Hancock County School District

The Hancock County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 83 full-time teachers and over 670 students.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Sparta". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 247. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 210. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  7. ↑ "William Fraley". www.friendsofcems.org. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sparta - Georgia Historical Society". www.georgiahistory.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1870.
  11. ↑ "1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  12. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930. pp. 251–256.
  14. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  15. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  16. ↑ "1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1960.
  17. ↑ "1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1970.
  18. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  19. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1990.
  20. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  21. ↑ "2010 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  22. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  24. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  25. ↑ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link], Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Thomas Butts". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.

Further reading