COMPARING TWO PLACES
Sparta vs Bemidji
PLACE A
Sparta, WI
VS
PLACE B
Bemidji, MN
Sparta and Bemidji are close in size. their median incomes are within a few thousand dollars.
SPARTABEMIDJIDIFFERENCE
Total population46,57247,055−1% vs Bemidji
Population density5219+33
Population growth3.6%4.0%−0.4 pts
Median age39.735.3+4.4
Male51.3%50.4%+0.9 pts
Female48.7%49.6%−0.9 pts
Foreign-born2.6%1.4%+1.1 pts
White, non-Hispanic88.1%70.0%+18.0 pts
Black1.5%0.8%+0.6 pts
Hispanic / Latino5.8%2.6%+3.2 pts
Asian0.8%0.6%+0.2 pts
Other3.9%26.0%−22.1 pts
Median household income$69,467$68,975+$492
Per capita income$35,704$35,509+$195
Poverty rate11.7%16.1%−4.4 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4190.444−0.0
Bachelor's degree or higher21.3%31.8%−10.5 pts
Graduate degree6.6%12.1%−5.5 pts
Unemployment rate3.2%4.7%−1.5 pts
Labor force participation63.3%62.5%+0.9 pts
Median home value$210,000$237,500−$27,500
Median gross rent$914$1,053−$139
Owner-occupied72.8%70.1%+2.6 pts
Housing vacancy rate8.6%16.4%−7.8 pts
Rent-burdened households34.4%40.4%−6.0 pts
Average commute20.321.0−0.7
Worked from home9.0%7.7%+1.3 pts
Public transit to work0.2%1.1%−1.0 pts
Uninsured8.9%7.8%+1.1 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025