Spencer is a city in Clay County, Iowa, home to about 11,400 people across 11 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51301.
Homes sold for a median of $122 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Spencer. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Spencer’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Spencer well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)133 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)63 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE138 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL390 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Spencer; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Spencer had 11,325 residents in the 2020 census, up 0% since 2000.
It’s the 36th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Clay County grew from 13,401 residents in 1900 to 16,384 in 2020.
Clay County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 7°F. About 31.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 43 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Spencer 1 N, IA weather station (about a mile away).
7,012 jobs at 570 businesses in Clay County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
237 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Spencer.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 19 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 27 |
| Dentists | 22 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 47 |
| Mental health providers | 76 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 24 |
| Optometrists | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 14 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (13 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Spencer Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson ElementarySpencer | Pre-K–K | 201 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Fairview Park ElementarySpencer | 1–2 | 249 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Lincoln Elementary SchoolSpencer | 3–5 | 442 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Spencer Middle SchoolSpencer | 6–8 | 514 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Spencer High SchoolSpencer | 9–12 | 688 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran SchoolSpencer | K–7 | 119 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 1.3 mi |
| Sacred Heart SchoolSpencer | K–6 | 179 | Roman Catholic | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Spencer? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Fostoria.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.