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CITY · 2010 ACS

Spencer

Iowa · 11,233 residents · 10.9 sq mi
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The short version

Spencer is a city of 11,233 people in Iowa. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. Median home value sits at $103,900. At a median age of 41.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

11,233
−1%since 2000
from 11,317 in 2000
1990 – 2025
41.5
+6%since 2000
from 39.2 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
10.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
11K11K11K11K11K19902000201020202024Spencer
202411K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.8%(759)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.2%(694)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.2%(698)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.2%(691)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.2%(589)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3412.3%(1,383)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411%(1,236)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414%(1,578)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6412.4%(1,393)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 748.1%(912)
US avg: 7%
75 to 847%(791)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over4.5%(509)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$41,644
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,970 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$26,364
+38%since 2000
from $19,153 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
20.5%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
13.7%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.489
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information20.3%
US avg: 11.5%
Retail trade13.1%
US avg: 10.9%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 7%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food3.3%
US avg: 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing3.2%
US avg: 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 4.2%
Education & health services2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$103,900
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,700 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$478
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $369 in 2000
US average: $853
65.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 64.9% in 2000
34.3% rent
6.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.12 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
20.0%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
40.1%
+7.9 ptssince 2009
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
2.5
+6%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.6%(10,933)
Black0.1%(16)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(162)
Asian1.1%(126)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic94.1%(10,573)
Black0.5%(59)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(390)
Asian0.7%(77)
Other1.4%(156)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3%(333)
Puerto Rican0.3%(30)
Guatemalan0.1%(11)
Ancestry
German45.1%(5,049)
Irish13.5%(1,511)
Norwegian8.5%(953)
English8.5%(951)
Dutch6%(676)
American4.9%(552)
Swedish4.5%(499)
Danish3.8%(423)
French2.5%(275)
Welsh1.1%(126)
Italian1.1%(124)
Polish1%(116)
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.7%(82)
Ukrainian0.3%(37)
Czech0.2%(27)
Swiss0.2%(26)
West Indian0.2%(23)
Canadian0.1%(16)
Finnish0.1%(15)
Portuguese0.1%(12)
Croatian0.1%(11)
Section 05

Education

18.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
90.7%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 87.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
3.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

12.4 min
+33%since 2000
from 9.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
77.6%
−4.8 ptssince 2009
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
9.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
4.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
6.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
6.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

11.5%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
22.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

47.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
53.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
2.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
12.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.4%(1,578)
Married50.8%(2,203)
Widowed1.9%(83)
Divorced10.9%(473)
Women 15+
Never married29.7%(1,431)
Married43.9%(2,118)
Widowed12.9%(620)
Divorced13.6%(654)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.7%
−3.1 ptssince 2013
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
46.0%
−4.8 ptssince 2020
from 50.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
21.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
24.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
61.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 42.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.7%(114)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)5.6%(34)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.9%(225)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.8%(66)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5.2%(32)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 610 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Spencer, Iowa?

Spencer, Iowa has about 11,233 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Spencer, Iowa?

The typical household in Spencer, Iowa earns about $41,644 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Spencer, Iowa expensive?

In Spencer, Iowa, the median home is worth about $103,900, and the typical rent is about $478 a month.

How educated are people in Spencer, Iowa?

About 18.9% of adults age 25 and over in Spencer, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Spencer, Iowa?

About 13.7% of people in Spencer, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Spencer, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Spencer, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 167 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →