Is Spencer, IN a Good Place to Live?
Spencer is a small town of 2,240 in Indiana, with a median household income of $45,536 and a 6.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Spencer stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Spencer is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Spencer city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.4Spencer's overall cost of living index is 93.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Spencer costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Spencer, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $128,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $784 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $45,536 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Spencer is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Spencer is served primarily by Spencer-Owen Community Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Spencer, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Spencer-Owen Community Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Spencer sees average highs of 37.2°F in January and 85.4°F in July, with 49.7 inches of annual precipitation and 15.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Spencer, IN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 37.2°F |
| Average High — July | 85.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Spencer, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,240 | — |
| Median Age | 46.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 95.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 28.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Spencer
Spencer, IN is covered by 1 ZIP code: