United States › Spencer MICROPOLITAN AREA
Spencer Micro Spencer, IA · 1 counties · 16,202 residents (2025 est.) · 567 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Spencer is home to 16,461 people. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $178,600. The foreign-born share is 2%. There are 29 people per square mile. At a median age of 42.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,372 in 2000
16,202 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 31 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 16K 17K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Spencer Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,428
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,799 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,451 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.5%
Public administration 3.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.6%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Education & health services 1.5%
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$178,600
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$811
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $379 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.1% in 2000
26.7% rent
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.3%(16,902)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(196)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.1%(14,994)
Hispanic / Latino 4.7%(781)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 20 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.2%(2,221)
Women 15+
Never married 26.4%(1,792)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 69.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.1% 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) 18.3%(174)
Share of the 951 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.
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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Spencer Head to head
Compare Spencer side by side SPENCER VS
Atchison
Income $61,112 −7%
Home value $145,700 −18%
Population 16,172 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Baker City
Income $60,936 −7%
Home value $285,600 +60%
Population 16,658 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Snyder
Income $60,039 −8%
Home value $113,800 −36%
Population 16,162 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Borger
Income $67,228 +3%
Home value $119,100 −33%
Population 19,633 +21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Spencer, IA? Spencer, IA has about 16,461 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Spencer, IA? The typical household in Spencer, IA earns about $65,428 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Spencer, IA expensive? In Spencer, IA, the median home is worth about $178,600, and the typical rent is about $811 a month.
How educated are people in Spencer, IA? About 27.5% of adults age 25 and over in Spencer, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Spencer, IA? About 11.4% of people in Spencer, IA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Spencer, IA grown since 1990? Yes, Spencer, IA has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,124 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
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