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Life in Sparks, Nevada

Sparks Reviews Nevada Message Board
City/State
Matthew Johnson's review of Sparks Nevada
Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Sparks, Nevada? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Sparks?
WeatherSafetyNeighborhoodsPeople
Very cold and snowy in the winter, but well managed in the city- they have been doing this for decades. No natural disasters, though sometimes the snow and ice impedes traffic and travel. The summer provides for temperate to hot climate mostly, occasionally pushing over 100 degrees, but usually around 90. In the south end of town near Washoe valley it gets very windy.Large town, so there is a normal amount of crime for a city of this magnitude. I don't hear anything out of the ordinary. It usually drug related when there is a large crime in the news, though there was a couple that got busted for leaving their six year old in a bathroom for 6 months and it was on national TV. Sparks is the collection of all the richest parts of North Reno that founded a town so Reno would stop using there tax money on down town casino area.The whole town is nice, but the residential area near Kiley Ranch is especially nice. avoid the southwestern border with Reno. Worst part of town is downtown Reno (2 minutes away) and the surrounding residential, sad to say. Full of scary individuals and homeless, though they are mostly harmless. The casino/hotels desperately need renovation. The Legends are very nice. The shopping areas in the middle of town is really nice as well.Very Upper Middle Class, but not without diverse areas. I can't think of any people that would not find a place to fit in. Predominantly white, but very tolerant people and there are areas with populations of black, asian, Filipino, Native, etc.. As for age, There are many old people retired in this town, but Sparks is very close to UNR, the home to 20,000+ students and young grad students. Sparks High is a very diverse, well built, and new School that kids of all races and varieties can feel safe at.
Downtown AreaRestaurantsSchoolsSingle life
Very nice. All new and recently built. Lots of popular stores and restaurants.BJs and Buffalo Wild Wings at the Legends are a favorite. Z Pizza, Pizza balls, Fudruckers, Sonic, and Grimaldi's are favorites among the locals.Excellent, as a recently expanding town with very wealthy inhabitants, Sparks High and its underling Junior High and Elementary schools are often leaders in Scholarship and Sports.The town is due north of Reno, and the University of Nevada is in the northern most sector of Reno, so the opportunity is quite large for singles.
NoiseCompared to other placesBest hospitalTourist attractions
No Unusual noise sources unless you choose to live right next to the highway. If you live in the deep south of Sparks you may hear the train in the middle of the night. It isn't enough to wake you, but if you're already up it is noticeable.Compared to South Lake Tahoe, Sparks is much newer and has a wider range of shopping. Tahoe is much older and has a lot more nature and tourist attractions. Sparks can be a good place to make a career, especially in business, many businessmen, like my father, work out of Reno/Sparks, because it is a good hub between Tahoe, Vegas, Sacramento, and Salt Lake. Saint Mary's Hospital, where I work, is renowned for Cardiology. The upside is that it is very cheap to live in Sparks (in Nevada, really).Saint Mary's or Reknown. Saint Mary's is better, but Reknown is cheaper.Scheels and Legends is likely the best but Boom Town or Grand Sierra Resort are both good too.
General comments   
Sparks used to be the unnamed northern sector of Reno until a few community leaders decided they didn't want their taxes to be used to renovate downtown, which is what they were overwhelmingly being used for much to the citizens displeasure, as they were renovating to rejuvenate the casinos and to bring tourism, both of which many locals hate. The town feels new and clean and friendly. I worked a sales position that had me outside and I couldn't get away from the cold to get food and lots of people offered me food and one man bought me a blanket.   
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