Spencer, WI Demographics

Population 3,633 · Census ACS 2020–24

Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.

Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Spencer, WI map of median age by neighborhood
Click the map to explore
Younger residents Older residents
Colorblind friendly off

More maps of Spencer: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet

Jump to median age ↓︎

Population and households in Spencer

Household size in Spencer

Household size, people per household
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–102.622.452.68
2010–142.602.472.73
2015–192.612.432.71
2020–242.562.402.65
Change−0.07−0.06−0.03
Show on the map ↑︎

Households in Spencer run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Wisconsin as a whole, where it has 2.40 people.

Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).

Median age in Spencer

Median age, years
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–1036.738.837.7
2010–1439.939.938.6
2015–1937.940.939.6
2020–2437.341.440.1
Change+0.7+2.6+2.3
Show on the map ↑︎

Spencer is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.3, against 40.1 nationally.

Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).

Single-parent households in Spencer

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–108.6%10.4%12.3%
2010–148.2%10.5%12.3%
2015–196.1%10.0%11.6%
2020–2411.2%9.8%11.6%
Change+2.6 pts−0.6 pts−0.6 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

Single parents head just over one in ten households in Spencer (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Wisconsin overall (9.8%). The single-parent share has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).

Housing in Spencer

Renters in Spencer

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–1016.3%30.5%33.3%
2010–1414.6%32.3%35.6%
2015–1919.2%33.0%36.0%
2020–2421.9%32.2%34.8%
Change+5.6 pts+1.6 pts+1.5 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

Only 21.9% of households in Spencer rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 41.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally.

Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).

Vacant homes in Spencer

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–106.7%10.5%11.4%
2010–146.6%10.6%11.4%
2015–194.2%10.1%11.1%
2020–243.9%9.2%9.6%
Change−2.8 pts−1.3 pts−1.8 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

Only 3.9% of homes in Spencer are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing.

Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).

Age of homes in Spencer

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–10197319701974
2010–14197719711975
2015–19197519721977
2020–24197819741980
Change+5+5+6
Show on the map ↑︎

Homes in Spencer are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally.

Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).

Rent in Spencer

Rent, per month
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–10$594$758$965
2010–14$610$821$1,040
2015–19$620$904$1,213
2020–24$753$1,139$1,571
Change+$159+$380+$606
Show on the map ↑︎

A typical rental in Spencer costs $753 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 21.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.

Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).

Education in Spencer

Bachelor's degrees in Spencer

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–1011.6%26.5%28.4%
2010–1415.0%28.0%29.6%
2015–1914.8%30.4%32.1%
2020–2417.2%33.6%35.6%
Change+5.6 pts+7.0 pts+7.2 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

College degrees are relatively uncommon in Spencer: 17.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.

Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

High school graduates in Spencer

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–1088.0%89.5%84.9%
2010–1487.9%90.7%86.1%
2015–1988.4%92.1%87.7%
2020–2486.7%93.3%89.3%
Change−1.3 pts+3.8 pts+4.3 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

Just over one in eight adults in Spencer never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.

High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

Jobs in Spencer

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodSpencerWisconsinU.S.
2006–106.1%6.7%8.1%
2010–145.9%7.3%9.4%
2015–192.4%3.7%5.6%
2020–241.6%3.3%5.4%
Change−4.5 pts−3.4 pts−2.7 pts
Show on the map ↑︎

Unemployment in Spencer has been low: just 1.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.

Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).

Spencer compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Spencer2.5637.311.2%21.9%3.9%1978$75317.2%86.7%1.6%
Unity2.7240.36.6%20.4%6.3%1971$85811.0%79.6%2.4%
Spokeville3.1428.95.7%17.7%8.1%1974$82215.4%79.2%1.7%
Riplinger3.0034.34.8%11.8%8.5%1973$83812.5%80.0%3.1%
Chili2.9333.89.4%20.0%7.7%1974$85717.8%74.4%4.7%
Marshfield2.2242.99.1%34.0%7.5%1972$88426.3%95.0%2.5%
Loyal2.8133.87.2%20.7%5.8%1970$83314.1%84.2%4.4%
Nasonville2.4643.56.5%22.7%5.7%1987$1,15126.7%93.6%1.2%
Hewitt2.3948.63.2%14.5%5.7%1986$89628.4%95.1%1.5%
Colby2.8736.915.3%29.8%5.5%1974$79413.2%80.8%2.5%
Stratford2.3143.17.0%12.4%4.9%1980$1,04421.3%94.9%1.5%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Spencer, NC · Concord, VA · Cologne, MN · Marshalls Creek, PA · Colorado City, AZ · Marlette, MI · Columbia, NJ · Columbus, KS · Columbus, MI · Combes, TX

About these numbers

Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Spencer. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.

No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.