Small-town market profile · Iowa
Spencer, IA area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Spencer area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 16,202
- −0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 7,282
- Median household income
- $65,428
- +29.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $178,600
- Jobs located here
- 8,325
- Highest market score
- 64
- Auto repair shops, #122 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Spencer area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Spencer area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 16,202 people live in the Spencer area, in 7,282 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Spencer area declined 0.8%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Spencer area is $65,428 a year, 19% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 29.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Spencer area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (59).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Spencer area are for auto repair shops (64), sit-down restaurants (59) and auto repair and car care businesses (53). The Spencer area ranks #122 of 538 scored small-town markets for auto repair shops.
The Spencer area is made up of one county, Clay County. For its number of households, the Spencer area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (2.8 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for sit-down restaurants (37% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Spencer area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Spencer area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 64 | #122 of 538 | 17 | 23.3 | $452K | 102 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 59 | #171 of 538 | 28 | 38.5 | $930K | 140 | 14 |
| Auto repair and car care | 53 | #243 of 538 | 35 | 48.1 | $220K | 82 | 8 |
| Gas stations | 52 | #242 of 536 | 8 | 11.0 | $2.5M | 104 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 49 | #293 of 538 | 33 | 45.3 | $203K | 96 | 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 46 | #302 of 538 | 67 | 92.0 | $389K | 105 | 38 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 46 | #320 of 538 | 17 | 23.3 | $2.5M | 73 | 5 |
| Hair salons | 45 | #326 of 538 | 17 | 23.3 | $395K | 92 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 44 | #314 of 526 | 8 | 11.0 | $1.2M | 122 | 6 |
| Pet businesses | 43 | #354 of 527 | 10 | 13.7 | $561K | 64 | 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 42 | #312 of 476 | 5 | 6.9 | $3.7M | 78 | 6 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 41 | #311 of 481 | 6 | 8.2 | $1.4M | 84 | 7 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 38 | #382 of 538 | 58 | 79.6 | $166K | 109 | 28 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 37 | #336 of 458 | 10 | 13.7 | $962K | 54 | 9 |
| Convenience stores | 37 | #399 of 529 | 10 | 13.7 | $4.2M | 53 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 36 | #427 of 535 | 11 | 15.1 | $511K | 77 | 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 34 | #419 of 537 | 13 | 17.9 | $2M | 66 | 15 |
| Home repair trades | 32 | #454 of 526 | 11 | 15.1 | $1.7M | 70 | 13 |
| Spas and skin care | 31 | #439 of 504 | 9 | 12.4 | $745K | 85 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 31 | #497 of 533 | 17 | 23.3 | Index only | 104 | 4 |
| Gyms | 29 | #444 of 506 | 7 | 9.6 | $802K | 62 | 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 29 | #450 of 536 | 23 | 31.6 | $580K | 66 | 8 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 28 | #457 of 536 | 18 | 24.7 | $742K | 58 | 8 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 27 | #491 of 529 | 10 | 13.7 | $2.6M | 70 | 8 |
| Real estate | 25 | #521 of 536 | 21 | 28.8 | Index only | 106 | 10 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 23 | #372 of 400 | 7 | 9.6 | $1.4M | 44 | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 23 | #414 of 426 | 11 | 15.1 | $874K | 37 | 5 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 22 | #385 of 399 | 6 | 8.2 | $1.4M | 48 | 7 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 21 | #365 of 387 | 5 | 6.9 | $1.1M | 44 | 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 12 | #526 of 537 | 20 | 27.5 | $605K | 48 | 11 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $626K | 63 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $1.4M | 70 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $1.7M | 100 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $6.5M | 128 | 15 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $6.2M | 52 | 7 |
| Grocery stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $14M | 151 | 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $3.2M | 133 | 4 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | Index only | 58 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $6.2M | 73 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $13M | Too few | 8 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $6.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $604K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $2.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $13.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $7.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $5.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in the Spencer area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $7.7M | $1,056 | 110 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $19.8M | $2,719 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $26M | $3,576 | 88 |
| Groceries | $42M | $5,766 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $6.7M | $921 | 92 |
| Child care and other personal services | $2.5M | $344 | 59 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $5.6M | $771 | 78 |
| Medical and dental services | $9.6M | $1,321 | 103 |
| Pets | $5.6M | $770 | 85 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $13.3M | $1,833 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $12.1M | $1,660 | 85 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $18.6M | $2,557 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $8.4M | $1,156 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $96.7M | $13,275 | 80 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Spencer area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 16,202−0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 7,282
- Median age
- 43.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 567 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 29
- Median household income
- $65,428+29.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $83,614
- Median home value
- $178,600
- Jobs located here
- 8,325
- Daytime population
- 16,701Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Spencer area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Spencer area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Spencer area 1
- Clay County, IA16,461 people
Other markets based in Iowa 12
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area731,120 people
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area381,503 people
- Cedar Rapids, IA metro area276,624 people
- Iowa City, IA metro area179,200 people
- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area168,637 people
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area144,682 people
- Ames, IA metro area127,134 people
- Dubuque, IA metro area99,030 people
- Mason City, IA area49,982 people
- Clinton, IA area46,268 people
- Burlington, IA-IL area44,680 people
- Muscatine, IA area42,559 people
Questions
How fast is the Spencer, IA area growing?
Population estimates put the Spencer area at 16,202 people in 2025, down 0.8% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 7,282 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 29.5%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Spencer, IA area spend?
Households in the Spencer area spend about $96.7M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $42M on groceries and $26M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Spencer area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Spencer, IA area?
Of the business types scored in the Spencer area, auto repair shops (64), sit-down restaurants (59) and auto repair and car care businesses (53) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For auto repair shops, that ranks #122 of 538 scored small-town markets.
How does the Spencer, IA area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Spencer area is $65,428, 19% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $178,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (2.8 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for sit-down restaurants (37% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 30 of the 56 business types have a score in the Spencer area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Spencer area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Spencer area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Spencer area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.