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Buying a home in Sparta, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Sparta is worth about $215,400, 7% below the Michigan median of $231,600 and 35% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,139 a year in property taxes, about 1.46% of their home's value, higher than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $60,728 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Sparta at a glance

Sparta Michigan U.S.
Median home value $215,400 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,139 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.46% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $60,728 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 70% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,408 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.0% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $983 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.5% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1965 1972 1980
Vacant homes 1.9% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 4,271 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Sparta

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sparta home of $215,400 with 20% down costs about $1,511 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,870, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $64,758 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Sparta household income of $60,728; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $202,000.

The median rent here is $983 a month, so owning the median home costs about $528 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$43,080
Loan amount$172,320
Principal and interest$1,159
Property taxes (1.46% a year)$262
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
PMI$0
Total per month$1,511

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,539
Loan amount$211,499
Principal and interest$1,423
Property taxes (1.46% a year)$262
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
FHA mortgage insurance$95
Total per month$1,870

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Questions about home buying in Sparta

What is the median home value in Sparta?

About $215,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Sparta?

Homeowners pay a median $3,139 a year, which is about 1.46% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Sparta?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,511 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $64,758 a year.

More about Sparta

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data