Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sparks is healthier than 88%
Sparks differs from Texas on 13 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sparks. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sparks
Making ends meet is harder in Sparks
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28%), vs 19.3% across Texas. No reliable transportation (14.4% vs 10.5%) and housing insecurity (22% vs 16.4%) are higher too. 22.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 3 working-age adults in Sparks has no health insurance
33.5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. Checkups ↓
More Sparks adults get no exercise
36.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Sparks is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sparks is healthier than 26%. Against the 1,230 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 88%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Texas figure falls outside Sparks’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Sparks’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sparks is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #393 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 73% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 6%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Sparks’ median household income is $34,876; among the 1,230 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Sparks compares well: arthritis, 19.1% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.6% of Sparks adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sparks adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Sparks adults…
Sparks runs below TX on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Sparks residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Sparks
No hospital or community health center in Sparks itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Sparks; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Sparks adults are doing
About the same as Texas on each measure.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Sparks and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks | C | 35.7% | 16.5% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sparks adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sparks
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sparks is better than Texas on 2 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Sparks’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sparks | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.8%24.7–35.1 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.3–18.5 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.1–20.4 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%30.7–40.8 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.3–35.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.8%30.4–37.2 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.1%16.8–21.5 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.9%3.4–4.4 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.7%3.7–5.7 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12.1–17.7 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%9.3–15.2 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.1%30.3–41.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%14.1–19.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.3%34.2–42.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 33.5%25.6–41.6 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74%70.4–77.4 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.5%44.5–50.7 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%78.6–85.5 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.7–76.8 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 48.7%44.3–53.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%67.5–79.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%16.9–22.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.2%25–31.4 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28%25.8–30.3 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22%19.9–24.1 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14%12.5–15.6 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%13.1–15.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.6%20.6–24.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.2%29.8–40.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%13.8–19.9 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%14.6–21.6 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.9%8.2–11.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%7.8–11.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Sparks
Is Sparks a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sparks is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #393 of 641 in Texas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sparks?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 40.8%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sparks?
The Hospitals of Providence Horizon City Campus in Horizon City, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Sparks’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sparks have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 25.6–41.6%), against 19.1% across Texas.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Sparks more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sparks.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.