Spencer, IA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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    2024 Population
    16,461
    US Senator
    Chuck Grassley
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Joni Ernst
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    42.3
    1.2% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    11.4%
    0.426% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $65,428
    2.1% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $178,600
    4.14% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    8,240
    0.0364% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Spencer, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    98.2% of the residents in Spencer, IA are U.S. citizens.

    In 2024, the median property value in Spencer, IA was $178,600, and the homeownership rate was 73.3%.

    Most people in Spencer, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Spencer, IA was 2 cars per household.

    Spencer, IA borders Spirit Lake, IA and Storm Lake, IA.

    United StatesIowa

    Population & Diversity

    Spencer, IA is home to a population of 16.5k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.48% of Spencer, IA residents were born outside of the country (409 people).

    In 2024, there were 42.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (15k people) in Spencer, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 354 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 305 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    98.2%
    2024 Citizenship
    99.4%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 98.2% of Spencer, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Spencer, IA was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Spencer, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Spencer, IA
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      15k ± 106
    2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      354 ± 79
    3. Other (Hispanic)
      305 ± 261
    4.74%
    Hispanic Population
    781 people

    In 2024, there were 42.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (15k people) in Spencer, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 354 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 305 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    4.74% of the people in Spencer, IA are hispanic (781 people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Spencer, IA as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Iowa.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      44,333 ± 5,134 people
    2. India
      11,889 ± 2,672 people
    3. Guatemala
      8,189 ± 2,219 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 44,333 Iowa residents, followed by India with 11,889 and Guatemala with 8,189.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    2.48%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    409 people
    1.03%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    169 people

    As of 2024, 2.48% of Spencer, IA residents (409 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Spencer, IA was 1.03%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Spencer, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      395 ± 136
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      174 ± 79
    3. Korea
      89 ± 68

    Spencer, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.27 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Spencer, IA.

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    Health

    94.5% of the population of Spencer, IA has health coverage, with 44.4% on employee plans, 19.5% on Medicaid, 16.5% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 1.4% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Iowa see 1,385 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,385 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1411 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 466 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
    1,385 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Iowa

    Primary care physicians in Iowa see an average of 1,385 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,385 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Iowa in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.7% under 18 years, 17.3% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.7% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    5.54%
    Uninsured
    44.4%
    Employer Coverage
    19.5%
    Medicaid
    16.5%
    Medicare
    12.7%
    Non-Group
    1.4%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Spencer, IA grew by 21.3% from 4.57% to 5.54%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Spencer, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Economy

    The economy of Spencer, IA employs 8.24k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Spencer, IA were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,447 people), Retail Trade (1,103 people), and Manufacturing (986 people), and the highest paying industries were Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,781), Wholesale Trade ($75,192), and Utilities ($68,368).

    Employment

    Occupations

    8.24k
    2024 Value
    ± 597
    0.0364%
    1 Year growth
    ± 10.3%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Spencer, IA grew at a rate of 0.0364%, from 8.24k employees to 8.24k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Spencer, IA, are Management Occupations (1,086 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (850 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (678 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Spencer, IA.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    8.24k
    2024 Value
    ± 597
    0.0364%
    1 Year growth
    ± 10.3%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Spencer, IA grew at a rate of 0.0364%, from 8.24k employees to 8.24k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Spencer, IA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,447 people), Retail Trade (1,103 people), and Manufacturing (986 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Spencer, IA, though some of these residents may live in Spencer, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $49,748
    Median earning men ± $2,771
    $39,610
    Median earning women ± $3,764

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($103,250), Wholesale Trade ($81,111), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($78,828).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($72,826), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($60,455), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($48,214).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
    Y-Axis
    1.48%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 42
      Construction
    2. 40
      Retail Trade
    3. 32
      Retail Trade

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $82.9k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $42.2k
      Retail Trade
    3. $38.5k
      Wholesale Trade

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

    Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Spencer, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (42.5%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Iowa

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
    Chuck Grassley
    Senator from Iowa3
    Assumed office on January 3, 1981
    Joni Ernst
    Senator from Iowa2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2015

    Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Spencer, IA was $178,600 in 2024, which is 0.537 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $171,500 to $178,600, a 4.14% increase. The homeownership rate in Spencer, IA is 73.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Spencer, IA have an average commute time of 17.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Spencer, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $178,600
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$10,755
    $5,340
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$437

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Spencer, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Spencer, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    73.3%
    Homeownership
    2024
    62%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 73.3% of the housing units in Spencer, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 72.7%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Spencer, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $65,428
    Median Household Income
    ± $5,096
    7.28k
    Number of Households
    ± 565

    In 2024, the median household income of the 7.28k households in Spencer, IA grew to $65,428 from the previous year's value of $64,082.

    The following chart displays the households in Spencer, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Spencer, IA is from Iowa.
    0.435
    2024 Wage GINI in Iowa
    0.441
    2023 Wage GINI in Iowa

    In 2024, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.435 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.29% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (80.8%)
    2. Carpooled (8.46%)
    3. Worked At Home (6.07%)

    In 2024, 80.8% of workers in Spencer, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.46%) and those who worked at home (6.07%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    17.8 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Spencer, IA have a shorter commute time (17.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.73% of the workforce in Spencer, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Spencer, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Spencer, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Spencer, IA have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    11.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Spencer, IA (1.84k out of 16.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males < 5 and then Males 6 - 11.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Spencer, IA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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