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Sparks, Nevada
Sparks is a city of 110,024 people in Washoe County, Nevada, founded in 1904.
Why visit Sparks
Townapedia lists 65 museums and landmarks, 88 parks and trails, 202 places to eat, 22 places to stay and 9 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include West Wind El Rancho Drive-In 4, Brüka Theatre, 20th Century Club and Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House (Reno, Nevada).
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; December lows average 24°F.
Weather in Sparks
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sparks
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It was founded in 1904, incorporated on March 15, 1905, and is located just east of Reno. As of the 2020 census, Sparks had a population of 108,445. It is the fifth most populous city in Nevada.
From the Wikipedia article Sparks, Nevada (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do9
Brüka Theatre
Cinema and theater · 6.2 mi
Theatre company based in Reno, Nevada, United States
Reno Arch
Monument and historic site · 6.2 mi
Landmark arch in Reno, Nevada, United States
University of Nevada, Reno
School · 5.8 mi
Public research university in Reno, Nevada, United States
Galaxy Theatres Victorian
Cinema and theater · 3.5 mi
1250 Victorian Avenue, Sparks
Tony Armstrong Amphitheater
Cinema and theater · 3.5 mi
Http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/07/21/renovated-sparks-amphitheater-back-open-public/12957069/
Museums and landmarks65
20th Century Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.4 mi
Clubhouse in Reno, Nevada, USA
Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House (Reno, Nevada)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
United States historic place
Bank of Sparks
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Bank building in Sparks, United States of America
Benson Dillon Billinghurst House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.0 mi
Historic house in Nevada, United States
Bethel AME Church
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.5 mi
Church building in Nevada, United States of America
Borland-Clifford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.4 mi
Historic house in Nevada, United States
Burke-Berryman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.0 mi
Historic house in Nevada, United States
Charles H. Burke House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.2 mi
Historic house in Nevada, United States
El Cortez Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Former hotel turned apartment building in Reno, Nevada
Field Matron's Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.9 mi
Historic house in Nevada, United States
First United Methodist Church (Reno, Nevada)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Church building in Nevada, United States of America
Fleischmann Planetarium & Science Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Planetarium and museum in Reno, Nevada
53 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds88
Red Hawk Golf and Resort
Golf course · 2.7 mi
18 hole Par 72 Lakes Course & 18 hole Par 71 Hills Course
6600 North Wingfield Parkway, Sparks
Wildcreek Golf Course
Golf course · 2.9 mi
18 hole Par 72 + 9 hole Par 27 Executive Course
3500 Sullivan Lane, Sparks
76 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes202
7 Spices Indian Restaurant & Tap House
Restaurant · Curry, Indian · 3.0 mi
1180 Scheels Drive
Tu-Th 11:00-14:00, 16:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-14:30, 16:00-22:00; Su...
Applebee's
Diner · American · 2.5 mi
693 North Mccarran Boulevard, Sparks
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00
BJ's
Diner · American · 3.1 mi
80 East Victorian Avenue, Sparks
Mo,Su off; Tu-Th 06:30-20:30; Fr 06:30-21:00; Sa 07:00-21:00
Boulevard Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.4 mi
1076 Rock Boulevard, Sparks
Mo-Th,Sa-Su 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00
Fortune Palace
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.4 mi
1282 Disc Drive, Sparks
Su 11:00-21:30; Tu-Sa 11:00-21:30
Jimboy's Tacos
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.3 mi
1363 Baring Boulevard, Sparks
Mo-Sa 07:30-22:00, Su 09:00-22:00
Los Compadres
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
1250 Disc Drive, Sparks
Su-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:30
190 more on the map.
History
Euro-American settlement began in the early 1850s, and the population density remained very low until 1904 when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a switch yard and maintenance sheds there, after moving the division point from Wadsworth. In 1902, the Southern Pacific purchased a large tract of swamp-like land near its newly built railyard, and gave employees clear deed to a 50 ft × 140 ft (15 m × 43 m) lot for the sum of $1. It also offered to pick up and move every house in Wadsworth and reassemble it in this new town free of charge. As the population increased, a city was established, first called Harriman, after E. H. Harriman, president of the Southern Pacific, and then renamed Sparks, after John Sparks, then governor of Nevada.
From the History section of Sparks, Nevada on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay22
Churches and places of worship25
Immaculate Conception Church (Sparks, Nevada)
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Holy Royal Martyrs of Russia Orthodox Church
Church · Russian Orthodox · 2.9 mi
1020 Pyramid Way, Sparks
Hope Church of the Nazarene
Church · Nazarene · 3.7 mi
205 West Gepford Parkway, Sun Valley
Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 3.3 mi
5555 Lupin Drive, Sun Valley
Kingdom Hall
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.0 mi
3400 Spanish Springs Road, Sparks
St Peter Canisius Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.4 mi
225 East 5th Avenue, Sun Valley
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 2.8 mi
2955 Rock Boulevard, Sparks
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · 2.9 mi
2655 Rock Boulevard, Sparks
Shopping38
Gas and EV charging37
Schools, colleges and libraries90
Healthcare13
Community Health Alliance Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.5 mi
5055 Sun Valley Boulevard, Sun Valley
Northern Nevada Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 4.0 mi
1511 Oppio Ranch Parkway, Sparks
Map of Sparks
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 25°F | 1.3 in | 2.2 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 27°F | 1.0 in | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 32°F | 0.8 in | 1.0 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 36°F | 0.5 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 74°F | 43°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 49°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 55°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 53°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 46°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 36°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 29°F | 0.7 in | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 24°F | 1.1 in | 1.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sparks (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Washoe County has had 50 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-10-02: Bull Fire (Fire)
- 2026-09-01: Hawk Fire (Fire)
- 2026-08-22: Hawk Fire (Fire)
- 2026-08-11: Fred Mountain Fire (Fire)
- 2026-08-11: Stallion Fire (Fire)
- 2026-08-08: Bug Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Sun Valley 4 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Spanish Springs 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Golden Valley 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Reno 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Lemmon Valley 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Mogul 12 mi west, about 19 min by car
- Verdi 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Cold Springs 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Truckee 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- South Lake Tahoe 47 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Victorian Square, Sparks, Nevada, Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Race and ethnicity 2020 Sparks, NV, CensusDots, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View of Reno from Sparks, Nevada (20721100333), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- View of Reno from Sparks, Nevada (21342194565), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks, Nevada (20950273073), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks, Nevada (20950256093), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hiro and rat in Sparks (31447267845), Mitch Barrie from Reno, NV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks, Nevada (21383377490), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Satellite Hills, Sparks, Nevada (21580380891), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Satellite Hills, Sparks, Nevada (20948762244), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks and Sun Valley, Nevada (21560221212), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks, Nevada (21384543419), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks, Nevada (21383612388), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks and Sun Valley, Nevada (21384578179), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kiley Ranch Golf Course, Sparks, Nevada (21580329441), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Satellite Hills, Sparks, Nevada (21384648189), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2015-10-28 09 53 51 View east from the west end of Nevada State Route 880 (Wedekind Road) near Sparks, Nevada, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reed High School and Shadow Mountain Park, Sparks, Nevada (21545187496), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Satellite Hills and DAndrea, Sparks, Nevada (20950463123), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- My Old Neighborhood, Sparks, Nevada (21383306900), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks shooting spot in winter (52605852039), Mitch Barrie from Reno, NV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sparks shooting spot in winter (52606098663), Mitch Barrie from Reno, NV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Snow in sparks - panoramio, Scott Thompson, CC BY 3.0
- Luella Garvey House Courtyard 2, Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Virginia Street Bridge, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- 204 N. Virginia Street, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- JOSEPH GIRAUD HOUSE, RENO, WASHOE COUNTY, JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Canary peruvian bean, Eric Rector, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Packed for a night in the desert, simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0
- ISS065-E-418176 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-396697 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-431231 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS027-E-18445 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS008-E-20641 - View of California, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Lab Mix Staring Longingly at a Tennis Ball, Tim36272, CC BY-SA 3.0
- A variety of lightbulbs, Tim36272, CC BY-SA 3.0
- A frost-free silcock faucet with calcium buildup, Tim36272, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gas meter 2, Tim36272, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Silent night (2016), simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Arriving at her new home (29381154932), Mitch Barrie from Reno, NV, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
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