City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Spencer, WV

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.

2,137
Residents
$25,897
Median income
$108,700
Median home
$869
Median rent (state)

Spencer - the verdict

Spencer ranks in the 2nd percentile for household income and the 40th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

2nd
percentile, household income
13th
percentile, home value
2nd
percentile, median rent
40th
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, WV

2,137 people live in Spencer, West Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $25,897 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 33.6%. Home values in Spencer run a median of $108,700, and the median resident age is 43.5 years. 7.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 29.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Spencer reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1678.6 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 climate normals record an annual average temperature of 52.3°F with 47.4 inches of precipitation per year and 24.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in West Virginia run below the national norm: the state registers 89.5 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $869 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts West Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $220 (state average). Commute times here average 21.2 minutes, with 75.9% driving alone and 3.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 45.0 out of 100 (Low).

Population

2,137 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$25,897 /yr

Poverty 33.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Spencer compare to other US cities?

Here's how Spencer stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 2% higher than other cities
Home value 13% pricier than other cities
Median rent 2% pricier than other cities
Safety 40% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at West Virginia, Spencer ranks #24 of 45 West Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Spencer's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in West Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

2ndIncome percentile
40thSafety percentile

2nd percentile nationally for median household income · 40th 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 45 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+)

$108,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 87% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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, WV Spencer, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Spencer, WV-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, WV median $25,897/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, WV'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, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 33.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 29.2%

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

Population
2,137
Median Income
$25,897
Median Home Value
$108,700
Median Age
43.5
Poverty Rate
33.6%
Labor force participation
29.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1678.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
50.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1627.7
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
52.3°F
Annual Precipitation
47.4"
Annual Snowfall
24.2"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,850 residents1,900 residents1,950 residents2,000 residents2,050 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,025 residents 1,895 residents ▼ -6.4%
Spencer's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 1
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.2 minutes
Drive Alone
75.9%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
8.7%
Work from Home
3.9%

Based on 507 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for West Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$220
estimated/month

Estimates reflect West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$869/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
45.0 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Hooverson Heights
2,156 people
St. Marys
2,178 people
Shinnston
2,198 people
Mullens
2,267 people
Stonewood
2,273 people
Bluewell
2,281 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Spencer's 2,137 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Smackover, AR
2,137 people
Green Meadows, OH
2,137 people
South Zanesville, OH
2,137 people
Richgrove, CA
2,136 people
Bokeelia, FL
2,136 people
Sorrento, LA
2,136 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Spencer's $25,897 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Morgandale, OH
$25,878 median income
Las Marías comunidad, PR
$25,919 median income
Caneyville, KY
$25,938 median income
Elrod, NC
$25,938 median income
Old Hundred, NC
$25,855 median income
Boissevain, VA
$25,951 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Spencer, WV 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, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.4% White 95.8% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 2.7% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.4% 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 West Virginia 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) 2,137 $25,897
Hooverson Heights 2,156 $58,681
St. Marys 2,178 $59,315
Shinnston 2,198 $63,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Spencer, WV?

What is the population of Spencer, WV? +

The population of Spencer, WV stands at 2,137 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Spencer is $25,897 per year, 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 West Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 89.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within West Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Spencer, WV safe? +

Spencer has a total crime rate of 1678.6 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, WV? +

The median home value in Spencer is $108,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Spencer? +

Climate normals put Spencer's yearly average temperature at 52.3°F, 47.4 inches of precipitation, and 24.2 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 Editorial

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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.