Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Clay County. It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan rivers. The population was 11,325 in the 2020 census, an increase from 11,317 in 2000. Spencer hosts the Clay County Fair, held annually in September and averaging more than 300,000 visitors. The town's late library cat, Dewey Readmore Books, became known throughout the world before his death in 2006. He was immortalized in the book Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron, director of the library, and Bret Witter.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Spencer ranks

All →

#1Closest to a top hospital in IA #5Highest graduation rate in IA #16Lowest depression in IA All IA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code51301

Area code712

Living in Spencer

Housing in Spencer

$200K▲ 4.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Spencer home is worth about $200,000, up 4.1% in a year, 17% below the Iowa typical home.

A balanced market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market64

Sale-to-list99.3%

Sold in May10

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Spencer

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Spencer reports less crime per resident than 66% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Spencer 1

Iowa 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Spencer 8.7

Iowa 12

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Spencer

Full picture →

54% of Spencer’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Spirit Lake (5%), Sioux City (3%) and Milford (3%). Half commute less than 3 miles.

Spirit Lake

Sioux City

Milford

Sioux Falls, SD

54%Work in townlive and work in Spencer 3 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 6,775Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Spencer →

Health in Spencer

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 52% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 79% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Iowa

4worse than IA

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 28 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▼ 8 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7.8%More adults with heart diseaseIA 6.6% · worse 3.9%More adults who have had a strokeIA 3.3% · worse 8.1%More adults with COPDIA 6.9% · worse

Care nearby

Spencer Municipal HospitalSpencer · 0.5 mi · ER

Community Health Center of SpencerSpencer · 0.3 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Spencer · CMS · HRSAHealth in Spencer →

Natural hazards in Spencer

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 91% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

59Does Spencer flood?paid flood claims since 1979 8Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Spencer

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Spencer →

Climate in Spencer

Full climate →

Spencer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

28° / 11°Winter

57° / 35°Spring

82° / 60°Summer

60° / 37°Fall

How much snow does Spencer get?About 43 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 3, with the last in spring around May 1.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.1° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Spencer →

Schools in Spencer

All Spencer schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Spencer’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 73% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#54Best public schoolsof 139 in IA

DistrictSpencer Comm School DistrictSchools7

Lincoln Elementary School BElementary · Grades 3–5 · 442 students Fairview Park Elementary C+Elementary · Grades 1–2 · 249 students Johnson ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–K · 201 students Sacred Heart SchoolElementary · Grades K–6 · 179 students Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran SchoolElementary · Grades K–7 · 119 students Spencer Middle School A-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 514 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IA. Ratings are from neighbors.