Spencer is a city located in Clay County Iowa. Spencer has a 2024 population of 11,500. It is also the county seat of Clay County. Spencer is currently growing at a rate of 0.43% annually and its population has increased by 1.74% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 11,303 in 2020.
The average household income in Spencer is $75,068 with a poverty rate of 13.6%. The median age in Spencer is 41.4 years: 41.2 years for males, and 41.6 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Spencer was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 10,630 | 93.65% |
| Two or more races | 476 | 4.19% |
| Other race | 109 | 0.96% |
| Black or African American | 67 | 0.59% |
| Asian | 49 | 0.43% |
| Native American | 20 | 0.18% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 5,162 | 2.14 | 68.8 | 31.2 |
| Non Family | 2,383 | 1.21 | 55.1 | 44.9 |
| Married | 2,043 | 2.84 | 96.7 | 3.3 |
| Female | 572 | 3.34 | 24.3 | 75.7 |
| Male | 164 | 2.68 | 76.2 | 23.8 |
2.9
Average Family Size
2.14
Average Household Size
68.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 292 | 3.73% |
| Associates Degree | 938 | 11.98% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,473 | 18.81% |
| Graduate Degree | 687 | 8.77% |
| High School Graduate | 2,503 | 31.96% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 13 | 0.17% |
| Some College | 1,926 | 24.59% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,517 | 7,213 | 2,088 |
| Hispanic | 148 | 148 | 27 |
| 2+ Races | 105 | 105 | 4 |
| Other Race | 91 | 91 | 0 |
| Asian | 49 | 49 | 41 |
| Black | 24 | 23 | 0 |
| Native American | 19 | 19 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 83.67%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $49,634 | $63,229 | $43,654 |
| Graduate Degree | $72,188 | $160,173 | $64,844 |
| High School Graduate | $35,690 | $46,418 | $21,413 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $22,165 | $0 | $0 |
| Overall | $44,215 | $51,074 | $35,262 |
| Some College | $45,390 | $50,577 | $36,000 |
$44,215
Average Earnings
$51,074
Average Male
$35,262
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
98.5% of Spencer residents speak only English, while 1.5% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.98% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,083 | 1,003 | 9.95% |
| Hispanic | 527 | 350 | 66.41% |
| Multiple | 473 | 284 | 60.04% |
13.6%
Overall Poverty Rate
10.9%
Male Poverty Rate
16.06%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Spencer is Hispanic, with 66.41% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Spencer is White, with 9.95% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.01%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.4%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 10.27%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 10.76% |
| Some College | 8.99% |
| High School | 8.18% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.47% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 87.41% |
| Male Unemployed | 39.33% |
| Female Employed | 13.82% |
| Male Employed | 4.3% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $79,688 | $97,979 |
| Households | $57,175 | $75,068 |
| Married Families | $96,447 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $36,743 | $47,844 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
50.2%
Male Marriage Rate
44.8%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
697
Number of Veterans
667
Male Veterans
30
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 247 |
| Second Gulf War | 89 |
| Korea | 81 |
| First Gulf War | 48 |
| World War II | 37 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 256 |
| 65 to 74 | 201 |
| 55 to 64 | 139 |
| 35 to 54 | 81 |
| 18 to 34 | 20 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 697 | 8.39% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
5.27%
Veteran Poverty Rate
26.2%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
67.4%
Labor Force Participation
63.8%
Employment Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
72.14%
Born in Spencer
98.92%
Native Born
1.08%
Foreign Born
0.65%
Non Citizen
0.43%
Naturalized
98.92% of Spencer residents were born in the United States, with 72.14% having been born in Iowa. 0.65% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 11,747 | 50 | 0.43% |
| 2028 | 11,697 | 49 | 0.42% |
| 2027 | 11,648 | 49 | 0.42% |
| 2026 | 11,599 | 50 | 0.43% |
| 2025 | 11,549 | 49 | 0.43% |
| 2024 | 11,500 | 49 | 0.43% |
| 2023 | 11,451 | 9 | 0.08% |
| 2022 | 11,442 | 43 | 0.38% |
| 2021 | 11,399 | 96 | 0.85% |
| 2020 | 11,303 | 287 | 2.61% |
| 2019 | 11,016 | -42 | -0.38% |
| 2018 | 11,058 | 17 | 0.15% |
| 2017 | 11,041 | -57 | -0.51% |
| 2016 | 11,098 | -99 | -0.88% |
| 2015 | 11,197 | 17 | 0.15% |
| 2014 | 11,180 | 49 | 0.44% |
| 2013 | 11,131 | -34 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 11,165 | -39 | -0.35% |
| 2011 | 11,204 | -21 | -0.19% |
| 2010 | 11,225 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 11,317 | 251 | 2.27% |
| 1990 | 11,066 | -660 | -5.63% |
| 1980 | 11,726 | 1,448 | 14.09% |
| 1970 | 10,278 | 1,414 | 15.95% |
| 1960 | 8,864 | 1,418 | 19.04% |
| 1950 | 7,446 | 847 | 12.84% |
| 1940 | 6,599 | 1,580 | 31.48% |
| 1930 | 5,019 | 420 | 9.13% |
| 1920 | 4,599 | 1,594 | 53.04% |
| 1910 | 3,005 | -90 | -2.91% |
| 1900 | 3,095 | -8,652 | -73.65% |