Spencer, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 87, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Spencer ranks as the #32 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Spencer ranks as the #1,101 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Spencer is $139,100.

  • The median income in Spencer is $45,313.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
87
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 87, 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 89.

The standard of living in Spencer ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Spencer ranks as the #48 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Spencer, check out:

32 out of 80
In Iowa
1,101 out of 6,412
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 96.

  • The Groceries index in Spencer is 104.

  • The Health index in Spencer is 121.

  • The Housing index in Spencer is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Spencer is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Spencer is 98.

Living Expense Spencer Iowa National Average
Overall 87 89 100
Services 96 95 100
Groceries 104 98 100
Health 121 99 100
Housing 67 73 100
Transportation 100 98 100
Utilities 98 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Spencer is $139,100.

  • The Median Rent in Spencer is $709.

  • The Median Income in Spencer is $45,313.

  • The Home Value To Income in Spencer is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Spencer is 0.19x.

Statistic Spencer Iowa United States
Median Home Value $139,100 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $709 $845 $1,163
Median Income $45,313 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.1x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Spencer, IA
$139,100
Median Home Value
$709
Median Rent
$45,313
Median Income

Spencer, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Spencer Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Shampoo $0.92 $1.06
Movie $8.83 $10.68
Bowling $9.17 $14.67
Haircut $21.16 $18.62
Beauty Salon $30.55 $39.05

Detailed Spencer Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Ground Beef $4.86 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.14 $2.05
Potatoes $3.84 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $8.98 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.27 $2.34

Detailed Spencer Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Optometrist $125.17 $108.57
Doctor $204.33 $116.17
Dentist $101.0 $99.13

Detailed Spencer Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
Gasoline $2.2 $2.22
Tire Balancing $47.72 $50.07

Detailed Spencer Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Spencer Iowa
All Electricity $157.58 $167.67
Phone $182.1 $175.64

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 90, 1.0x Spencer.

  • Storm Lake, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Spencer.

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

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Spencer
Worthington, MN 13,782 90 1.0x
Storm Lake, IA 11,166 89 1.0x
Fairmont, MN 10,465 89 1.0x
Estherville, IA 5,904 84 1.0x
Sheldon, IA 5,475 89 1.0x
Algona, IA 5,407 87 1.0x

Articles About Iowa

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