Spencer, IA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Add Comparison

Population

16,313

0.452% 1-year decline

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

Median Age

42.7

Poverty Rate

12.1%

Median Household Income

$47,874

2.25% 1-year decline

Median Property Value

$120,600

4.24% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

8,262

0.182% 1-year growth

About

In 2018, Spencer, IA had a population of 16.3k people with a median age of 42.7 and a median household income of $47,874. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Spencer, IA declined from 16,387 to 16,313, a -0.452% decrease and its median household income declined from $48,978 to $47,874, a -2.25% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Spencer, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.96%), White (Hispanic) (1.89%), Other (Hispanic) (0.864%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.546%). NaNk% of the people in Spencer, IA speak a non-English language, and 98.5% are U.S. citizens.

The median property value in Spencer, IA is $120,600, and the homeownership rate is 68.8%. Most people in Spencer, IA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 14.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Spencer, IA is 2 cars per household.

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

United States Iowa

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Iowa. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Iowa, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Impact on Employment

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.

View Full Dashboard

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Iowa across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

View Full Dashboard

Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%), followed by Gary Johnson (3.78%). The most partisan county was Lyon County, IA with 81.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

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 Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Spencer, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (51.2%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%)
Democratic Party
Gary Johnson (3.78%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%), followed by Gary Johnson (3.78%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Iowa.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Iowa

51.2% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Iowa

Lyon County, IA
81.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Sioux County, IA
81.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Osceola County, IA
78.8% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Iowa was Lyon County, IA with 81.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Iowa colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

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, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Diversity

Spencer, IA is home to a population of 16.3k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2018, 2.35% of Spencer, IA residents were born outside of the country (384 people).

In 2018, there were 47.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (15.2k people) in Spencer, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 319 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 309 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Spencer, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
15.2k ± 51
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
319 ± 83.2
White (Hispanic)
309 ± 116

3.48%

Hispanic Population

567 people

3.48% of the people in Spencer, IA are hispanic (567 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Spencer, IA as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

2.35%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

384 people

2.11%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

346 people

As of 2018, 2.35% of Spencer, IA residents (384 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Spencer, IA was 2.11%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.9

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 11

In 2018, the median age of all people in Spencer, IA was 42.7. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 43, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 48. But people in Spencer, IA are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Spencer, IA residents was 42.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
41,844 ± 4,988 people
China
10,526 ± 2,515 people
India
10,455 ± 2,506 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 41,844 Iowa residents, followed by China with 10,526 and India with 10,455.

Citizenship

98.5%

2018 Citizenship

99.1%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 98.5% of Spencer, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Spencer, IA was 99.1%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
448 ± 115
Korea
167 ± 52
Gulf War (2001-)
126 ± 57

Spencer, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.68 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Spencer, IA is $47,874. In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Spencer, IA was Dallas County, IA with a value of $83,990, followed by Polk County, IA and Linn County, IA, with respective values of $68,291 and $64,103.

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,006. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.443, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Spencer, IA employs 8.26k people. The largest industries in Spencer, IA are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,290 people), Retail Trade (1,116 people), and Manufacturing (991 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($78,730), Public Administration ($54,511), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,906).

Wages

Median Household Income

$47,874

2018 value

± $4,268

-2.25%

1 Year Growth

± 12.7%

Households in Spencer, IA have a median annual income of $47,874, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $48,978 in 2017, which represents a -2.25% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Spencer, IA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

$58,922

Average Male Salary in Iowa

± $1,635

$44,006

Average Female Salary in Iowa

± $1,197

In 2017, full-time male employees in Iowa made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Iowa by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Iowa

Asian
$50,374 ± $7,648
White
$44,731 ± $967
Black
$32,234 ± $4,518

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Iowa workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.13 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Iowa.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Iowa by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Spencer, IA is from Iowa.

0.443

2017 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.445

2016 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2017, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.563% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Spencer, IA was Dallas County, IA with a value of $83,990, followed by Polk County, IA and Linn County, IA, with respective values of $68,291 and $64,103.

The following map shows all of the counties in Spencer, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Males 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Spencer, IA (1.93k out of 16k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 75+ and then Females 6 - 11.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
1,841 ± 301
Two Or More
82 ± 88
Other
4 ± 75

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

8.26k

2018 Value

± 520

0.182%

1 Year growth

± 8.82%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Spencer, IA grew at a rate of 0.182%, from 8.25k employees to 8.26k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Spencer, IA, are Sales & Related Occupations (984 people), Management Occupations (962 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (819 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Spencer, IA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Spencer, IA, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (984 people), Management Occupations (962 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (819 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other MSAs, Spencer, IA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (3.24 times higher than expected), Material Moving Occupations (1.69 times), and Production Occupations (1.46 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Spencer, IA, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($77,977), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($65,742), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($63,352).

Industries

Employment by Industries

8.26k

2018 Value

± 520

0.182%

1 Year growth

± 8.82%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Spencer, IA grew at a rate of 0.182%, from 8.25k employees to 8.26k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Spencer, IA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,290 people), Retail Trade (1,116 people), and Manufacturing (991 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Spencer, IA, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,290 people), Retail Trade (1,116 people), and Manufacturing (991 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other MSAs, Spencer, IA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (6.07 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (2.14 times), and Utilities (2.05 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Spencer, IA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($78,730), Public Administration ($54,511), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,906).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2015, the top outbound Iowa product (by dollars) was Cereal grains with $24.8B, followed by Machinery ($18.8B) and Other ag prods. ($18.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Iowa products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Iowa.

$245B

2015 Value in Iowa

$363B

Projected 2045 Value in Iowa

47.9% growth

In 2015, total outbound Iowa trade was $245B. This is expected to increase 47.9% to $363B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Iowa trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$26.2B
Minnesota
$16.1B
Nebraska
$11.4B

In 2015, the top outbound Iowa domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $26.2B, followed by Minnesota with $16.1B and Nebraska and $11.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Iowa shares with each state (excluding itself).

Housing & Living

The median property value in Spencer, IA was $120,600 in 2018, which is 0.525 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $115,700 to $120,600, a 4.24% increase. The homeownership rate in Spencer, IA is 68.8%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Spencer, IA have an average commute time of 14.7 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Spencer, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$120,600

2018 Median

± $6,407

$115,700

2017 Median

± $5,609

In 2018, the median property value in Spencer, IA grew to to $120,600 from the previous year's value of $115,700.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Spencer, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Spencer, IA the largest share of households have a property value in the N/A range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$47,874

Median Household Income

± $4,268

7.34k

Number of Households

± 534

In 2018, the median household income of the 7.34k households in Spencer, IA declined from $47,874 from the previous year's value of $48,978.

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.

Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Spencer, IA 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 $800 - $1,499 range.

Rent vs Own

68.8%

2018 Homeownership

69.2%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 68.8% of the housing units in Spencer, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Spencer, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

14.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Spencer, IA have a shorter commute time (14.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.3 minutes). Additionally, 1.3% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
77.8%
Carpooled
10.3%
Worked At Home
7.43%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Spencer, IA was Drove Alone (77.8%), followed by those who Carpooled (10.3%) and those who Worked At Home (7.43%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by 3 cars.

Health

96.3% of the population of Spencer, IA has health coverage, with 49.3% on employee plans, 14.8% on Medicaid, 14.4% on Medicare, 14.9% on non-group plans, and 2.91% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Iowa was $8,200 in 2014. This is a 5.05% increase from the previous year ($7,806).

Primary care physicians in Iowa see 1363 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.04% increase from the previous year (1349 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1561 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 756 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Appanoose County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (13.3%). Additionally, Union County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,363 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Iowa

Primary care physicians in Iowa see an average of 1,363 patients per year. This represents a 1.04% increase from the previous year (1,349 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$8,200

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Iowa

$4,076

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,702

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,317

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Iowa (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.05%, from $7,806 to $8,200.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

3.71%

Uninsured

49.3%

Employer Coverage

14.8%

Medicaid

14.4%

Medicare

14.9%

Non-Group

2.91%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Spencer, IA declined by 14.8% from 4.36% to 3.71%.

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.