Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of West Sparta’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and history; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Only 18 of New York’s 1,215 towns score higher on cost of living. West Sparta's schools rank behind 69% of the state's. Among 759 New York towns, just 1 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than West Sparta. Engleside is on the National Register of Historic Places. West Sparta has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where West Sparta beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far West Sparta is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,619 in 1850, 1,255 in 2010. The archive holds a map from 1905 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Sparta, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in West Sparta.
Most working residents leave West Sparta for work: only 1% work in town. At 29 minutes, West Sparta’s average trip to work is above both the New York town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in West Sparta fell to 70 in 2023, 50 fewer than in 2013.
| West Sparta | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
West Sparta has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 82°F, West Sparta’s July high is close to New York’s towns (81°F) and below U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in West Sparta.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
West Sparta beats the New York average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 38% of West Sparta adults have high blood pressure.
| West Sparta | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| What stands out | West Sparta | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.7% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Sonyea State Forest, at 292 acres. West Sparta’s trail density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
| West Sparta | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sonyea State Forest | 0.4 mi | 292 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
90% of households own their home in West Sparta.
| West Sparta | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $907 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Sparta. Close and well known come first.
10 mi State parkLetchworth State Park37 mi Theme parkSix Flags Darien Lake1.5M visitors a year
39 mi MountainCumorah
39 mi MuseumGeorge Eastman Museum
39 mi Stadium & arenaBlue Cross Arena
39 mi MuseumThe National Museum of PlayLetchworth State Park: Suandsoe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 · George Eastman Museum: Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Blue Cross Arena: Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers), CC BY-SA 3.0 · The National Museum of Play: Misc, CC BY-SA 4.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of West Sparta
About 4 of every 100 West Sparta residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where West Sparta’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in New York, United States
West Sparta is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 1,255 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the neighboring town of Sparta. West Sparta is in the south-central part of the county and is northwest of Dansville.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $99,000, 81% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
