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 $78,039 with a poverty rate of 14.11%. The median age in Spencer is 41.3 years: 39.4 years for males, and 43 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Spencer was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 10,678 | 93.72% |
| Two or more races | 489 | 4.29% |
| Black or African American | 78 | 0.68% |
| Native American | 63 | 0.55% |
| Asian | 47 | 0.41% |
| Other race | 38 | 0.33% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 5,145 | 2.15 | 67.7 | 32.3 |
| Non Family | 2,445 | 1.19 | 50.1 | 49.9 |
| Married | 2,066 | 2.84 | 95.4 | 4.6 |
| Female | 439 | 3.54 | 35.3 | 64.7 |
| Male | 195 | 3.76 | 66.2 | 33.8 |
2.96
Average Family Size
2.15
Average Household Size
67.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 322 | 4.05% |
| Associates Degree | 968 | 12.19% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,555 | 19.57% |
| Graduate Degree | 687 | 8.65% |
| High School Graduate | 2,651 | 33.37% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 63 | 0.79% |
| Some College | 1,698 | 21.37% |
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 | 7,471 | 7,145 | 2,121 |
| Hispanic | 212 | 154 | 31 |
| 2+ Races | 176 | 176 | 53 |
| Native American | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| Asian | 47 | 47 | 37 |
| Black | 43 | 42 | 0 |
| Other Race | 26 | 26 | 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 78.72%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,574 | $62,368 | $46,935 |
| Graduate Degree | $81,071 | $135,682 | $73,367 |
| High School Graduate | $40,710 | $46,577 | $33,365 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $32,969 | $33,750 | $0 |
| Overall | $45,585 | $49,121 | $40,229 |
| Some College | $41,858 | $48,291 | $36,606 |
$45,585
Average Earnings
$49,121
Average Male
$40,229
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
97.52% of Spencer residents speak only English, while 2.48% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.48% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,029 | 1,158 | 11.55% |
| Hispanic | 612 | 403 | 65.85% |
| Multiple | 487 | 130 | 26.69% |
14.11%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.12%
Male Poverty Rate
15.03%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Spencer is Hispanic, with 65.85% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Spencer is White, with 11.55% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.36%. Among those working part-time, it was 22.67%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 13.57%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 21.13% |
| High School | 9.84% |
| Some College | 9.57% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 2.52% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 89.66% |
| Male Unemployed | 41.4% |
| Female Employed | 7.99% |
| Male Employed | 6.21% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $86,703 | $103,687 |
| Households | $57,068 | $78,039 |
| Married Families | $100,833 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $36,745 | $48,423 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
46.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.6%
Male Marriage Rate
43.0%
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
700
Number of Veterans
687
Male Veterans
13
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 260 |
| Second Gulf War | 102 |
| Korea | 94 |
| World War II | 56 |
| First Gulf War | 43 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 251 |
| 65 to 74 | 214 |
| 55 to 64 | 124 |
| 35 to 54 | 63 |
| 18 to 34 | 48 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 700 | 8.4% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.97%
Veteran Poverty Rate
36.8%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.9%
Labor Force Participation
61.6%
Employment Rate
5.1%
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
72.98%
Born in Spencer
98.74%
Native Born
1.26%
Foreign Born
0.87%
Non Citizen
0.39%
Naturalized
98.74% of Spencer residents were born in the United States, with 72.98% having been born in Iowa. 0.87% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
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% |