Spencer is a small town of 112 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $66,250
.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Spencer stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. 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: 90.3
Spencer's overall cost of living index is 90.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Spencer costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Spencer, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$130,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$400
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
84.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$66,250
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Spencer's violent crime rate is 89.5 per 100,000 residents
— 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
89.5 /100k
Property Crime
393.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Spencer, SD
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
10.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Spencer sees average highs of 25.3°F in January
and 84.2°F in July,
with 25.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 36.3 inches of snow per year.
Spencer's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Spencer roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $130,000 and median rent is $400/month.
Spencer's violent crime rate is 89.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 393.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Spencer, SD has a population of 112, a median household income of $66,250, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. 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 25.3°F in January and 84.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 25.3 inches
with about 36.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Spencer, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 57374.
The population of Spencer, South Dakota is 112 with a median age of 46.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Spencer: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $130,000, median household income $66,250, crime index 22 (100 = US average, lower is safer). 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.