Median Income
$61,079
household / year
Median Home Value
$145,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,045
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Spencer, NC a Good Place to Live?

Spencer is a small town of 3,296 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $61,079 and a 9.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Spencer stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime.

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: 97.0

Spencer's overall cost of living index is 97.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Spencer costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Spencer, NC National Avg
Median Home Value $145,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,045 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 61.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $61,079 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Spencer's violent crime rate is 300.6 per 100,000 residents — 21% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
300.6 /100k
Property Crime
2013.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Spencer is served primarily by Rowan-Salisbury Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Spencer, NC National Avg
School District Rowan-Salisbury Schools —
Elementary Schools 17 —
Middle Schools 6 —
High Schools 8 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 78.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Spencer sees average highs of 50.2°F in January and 88.2°F in July, with 43.7 inches of annual precipitation and 2.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricSpencer, NC
Average High — January50.2°F
Average High — July88.2°F
Annual Precipitation43.7"
Annual Snowfall2.4"

Demographics

MetricSpencer, NCNational Avg
Population3,296—
Median Age42.938.9
Unemployment Rate9.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)53.9%59.3%
Black or African American42.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.6%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1818.4%22.2%
65 and over17.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

East Spencer, NC 1 mi Salisbury, NC 4 mi Granite Quarry, NC 6 mi Tyro, NC 8 mi Faith, NC 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Spencer

Spencer, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

28159

Spencer vs Other Cities

Spencer, NC vs East Spencer, NC Spencer, NC vs Salisbury, NC Spencer, NC vs Granite Quarry, NC Spencer, NC vs Tyro, NC Spencer, NC vs Faith, NC

Frequently Asked Questions

Spencer's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Spencer roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $145,600 and median rent is $1,045/month.
Spencer's violent crime rate is 300.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2013.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Spencer are operated by Rowan-Salisbury Schools. The district has 17 elementary, 6 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1. 19.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Spencer, NC has a population of 3,296, a median household income of $61,079, and an unemployment rate of 9.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Spencer averages 50.2°F in January and 88.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.7 inches with about 2.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Spencer, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 28159.
The population of Spencer, North Carolina is 3,296 with a median age of 42.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Spencer: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $145,600, median household income $61,079, crime index 86 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Spencer side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.