Spencer, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Spencer, IA Summary

Cost of living in Spencer research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Spencer is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Spencer is 88, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Spencer is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Spencer ranks as the #31 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Spencer ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Spencer is $196,401.

  • The median income in Spencer is $57,068.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Spencer's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Spencer, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Spencer has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Spencer has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Spencer ranks as #31 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Spencer ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Spencer, check out:

31 out of 85
In Iowa
912 out of 6,489
In America

Spencer Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Spencer. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Spencer is 90.

  • The Groceries index in Spencer is 96.

  • The Health index in Spencer is 103.

  • The Housing index in Spencer is 75.

  • The Transportation index in Spencer is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Spencer is 84.

Living Expense Spencer Iowa National Average
Overall 88 90 100
Services 90 96 100
Groceries 96 97 100
Health 103 99 100
Housing 75 75 100
Transportation 89 99 100
Utilities 84 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Spencer Cost of Living Vs. IA

Spencer, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Spencer is $196,401.

  • The Median Rent in Spencer is $795.

  • The Median Income in Spencer is $57,068.

  • The Home Value To Income in Spencer is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Spencer is 0.17x.

Statistic Spencer Iowa United States
Median Home Value $196,401 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $795 $949 $1,348
Median Income $57,068 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x
$196,401
Median Home Value
$795
Median Rent
$57,068
Median Income

Spencer, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Spencer Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $9.36 $12.13
Bowling $16.4 $18
Haircut $24.32 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.22 $45.56

Detailed Spencer Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $4.63 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $9.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Spencer Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Optometrist $135.1 $125.68
Doctor $177.33 $135.78
Dentist $108.21 $113.29

Detailed Spencer Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Gasoline $3.28 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.42 $59.92

Detailed Spencer Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
All Electricity $141.67 $193.99
Phone $194.04 $192.25

Spencer SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
5
Safety
7
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Spencer

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Spencer. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Worthington, MN has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Spencer.

  • Storm Lake, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Spencer.

  • Fairmont, MN has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Spencer.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Spencer
Worthington, MN 13,792 84 1.0x
Storm Lake, IA 11,275 93 1.1x
Fairmont, MN 10,348 89 1.0x
Estherville, IA 5,865 82 0.9x
Algona, IA 5,414 91 1.0x
Sheldon, IA 5,386 85 1.0x
Cherokee, IA 5,157 79 0.9x

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