United States › Spencer MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Spencer Micro Spencer, IA · 1 counties · 16,384 residents · 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Spencer is home to 16,384 people. The foreign-born share is 2%. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $129,700. At a median age of 42.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 16K 17K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Spencer Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,259
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,799 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $19,451 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 8.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.6%
Transportation & warehousing 4.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$129,700
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$693
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $379 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 69.1% in 2000
28.2% rent
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.3%(16,902)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(196)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 91.7%(15,025)
Hispanic / Latino 4.3%(704)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 69.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.4%(169)
Gulf War (1990s) 11.3%(133)
Share of the 1,173 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 +19%
Home value $145,700 +12%
Population 16,172 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Baker City
Income $60,936 +19%
Home value $285,600 +120%
Population 16,658 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Snyder
Income $60,039 +17%
Home value $113,800 −12%
Population 16,162 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER VS
Borger
Income $67,228 +31%
Home value $119,100 −8%
Population 19,633 +21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Spencer, IA? Spencer, IA has about 16,384 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Spencer, IA? The typical household in Spencer, IA earns about $51,259 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 $129,700, and the typical rent is about $693 a month.
How educated are people in Spencer, IA? About 23.9% 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 10.4% 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 1,201 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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