City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Spencer, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Spencer - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

11,393
Residents
$57,068
Median income
$178,300
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Spencer - the verdict

Nationally, Spencer sits in the 31st percentile for household income and the 62nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
36th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
62nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Spencer, IA

11,393 people live in Spencer, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Spencer brings in $57,068 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Home values in Spencer run a median of $178,300, and the median resident age is 41.3 years. 28.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Spencer (Construction Slowdown), down 98% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Spencer reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1043.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Spencer's yearly average temperature at 46.1°F with 31.0 inches of precipitation per year and 43.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $919 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 36.4 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

11,393 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$57,068 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Spencer compare to other US cities?

Where Spencer sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 36% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 62% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Iowa alone, Spencer ranks #82 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Spencer against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Spencer near the bottom of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Spencer ranks #450 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Spencer only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#606 of 845
28th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#450 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#165 of 849
81st percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#315 of 858
63rd percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#146 of 858
83rd percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

31stIncome percentile
62ndSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 62nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Spencer's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Spencer's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 57 Avg. percentile National median
Spencer's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Spencer's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$178,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 64% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Spencer $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Spencer, IA Spencer, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Spencer, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Spencer, IA median $57,068/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Spencer, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Spencer, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
11,393
Median Income
$57,068
Median Home Value
$178,300
Median Age
41.3
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
61.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1043.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
52.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
991.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.1°F
Annual Precipitation
31.0"
Annual Snowfall
43.3"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,100 residents11,200 residents11,300 residents11,400 residents11,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,302 residents 11,218 residents ▼ -0.7%
Spencer's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 99
2020 20
2021 15
2022 20
2023 6
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 98% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.3%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
4.5%
Work from Home
5.6%

Based on 5,537 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Spencer sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
36.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Oskaloosa
11,492 people
Storm Lake
11,275 people
Pleasant Hill
10,796 people
Pella
10,624 people
Le Mars
10,597 people
Waverly
10,446 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Spencer's 11,393 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

East Grand Rapids, MI
11,394 people
Grosse Pointe Park, MI
11,394 people
Suffern, NY
11,395 people
Dobbs Ferry, NY
11,397 people
La Homa, TX
11,389 people
East Glenville, NY
11,399 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Spencer's $57,068 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Great Barrington, MA
$57,071 median income
Meadview, AZ
$57,064 median income
Dakota, IL
$57,063 median income
Concordia, NJ
$57,063 median income
Madison, WV
$57,073 median income
Footville, WI
$57,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Spencer, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Spencer, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 93.7% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 4.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Spencer compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Spencer (this city) 11,393 $57,068
Oskaloosa 11,492 $62,172
Storm Lake 11,275 $58,341
Pleasant Hill 10,796 $86,890
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Spencer, IA?

What is the population of Spencer, IA? +

The population of Spencer, IA stands at 11,393 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Spencer, IA? +

Spencer households earn a median of $57,068 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Spencer? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Spencer; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Spencer, IA safe? +

Spencer has a total crime rate of 1043.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Spencer, IA? +

Homes in Spencer carry a median value of $178,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Spencer? +

The average annual temperature in Spencer runs 46.1°F, 31.0 inches of precipitation, and 43.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.