Sparta, North Carolina
Sparta is a town of 1,928 people in Alleghany County, North Carolina.
Why visit Sparta
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 18 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Alleghany County Courthouse, Alleghany Historical Museum and Crouse Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Sparta
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sparta
Sparta is a town and the county seat of Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 1,834.
From the Wikipedia article Sparta, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Alleghany County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
United States historic place
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes18
J B's Pizza & Subs
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
371 North Main Street, Sparta
Main Street Pizzeria & Taphouse
Restaurant · Pizza
151 South Main Street, Sparta
La Mexicana Grill
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
665 South Main Street, Sparta
Laconia Ale Works
Brewery and winery · 0.6 mi
433 North Main Street, Sparta
Muddy Creek Cafe and Music Hall
Restaurant
60 South Main Street, Sparta
The Pipe Factory Sports Bar
Bar and pub · 1.2 mi
1438 US-21, Sparta
6 more on the map.
History
James H. Parks, an early businessman whose store stood near the present location of the ABC store, was one of three men who donated land for the county seat in 1866. Parks is credited with suggesting the name "Sparta", after the Greek city-state.
Noteworthy businesses established in Sparta included The Alleghany News (1889), the Bank of Sparta (1902), and the second store purchased by home improvement giant Lowe's (1949). Sparta's first shopping center, Trojan Village, opened in 1977, followed by Sparta Plaza in 1986.
The Alleghany County Courthouse and Jarvis House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On August 9, 2020, the town was the epicenter of a moderate earthquake that was felt as far as Georgia. The earthquake, which registered as a 5.1 on the Richter magnitude scale, was the largest earthquake to occur in North Carolina in over 100 years.
From the History section of Sparta, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship8
St. Frances of Rome Catholic
Church · Catholic · 1.1 mi
29 Highland Drive, Sparta
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare2
Map of Sparta
44 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 22°F | 4.5 in | 5.3 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 3.1 in | 4.2 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 31°F | 4.9 in | 3.1 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 5.4 in | 1.0 in |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 41°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 32°F | 4.5 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 26°F | 4.5 in | 4.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sparta 3.5 Ssw (3 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
Alleghany County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wilkes County Airport (IKB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Independence 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Galax 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Hays 18 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Mulberry 19 mi south, about 31 min by car
- Jefferson 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- Fairplains 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Elkin 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- West Jefferson 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Millers Creek 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- North Wilkesboro 23 mi south, about 37 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
- SpartaNCAerial, Chrishash1991, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alleghany County Courthouse Sparta NC, G Keith Hall, CC BY-SA 3.0
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