2012-0821-Kandiyohi-SpicerSummerHouse1, 2012
Spicer’s story
140 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1886Spicer is settled
SpicerMN
A town of 1,096, settled in 1886. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
Population
1,096
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$399K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
46.4
years
Jobs based here
445
Balanced
Is Spicer a good place to live?
Spicer’s best subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for the outdoors. Spicer’s average trip to work is 16 minutes, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Spicer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Spicer stand out
Where Spicer beats most towns.
Small town
1,096 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Green Lake TownshipNew London TownshipSpicer
How Spicer grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Spicer is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 26% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthCentracare- Rice Memorial Hospital 9.4 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 6.2% of households have no car; 2.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →Jobs & income$78K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Spicer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spicer, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSpicer water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Spicer’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKandiyohi County Office BldgKandiyohi County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2022
ZIP code5628856288 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Spicer.
SchoolsA
Public schools in Spicer beat 88% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the New London-Spicer School District. Its one school is below.
88%of MN districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Meadows Learning CenterLargest public school before high schoolGrades PK | Grades PK | 26 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
Spicer is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Spicer beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 39% of Spicer adults have obesity, against 35% in Minnesota’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 19% of Spicer adults binge drink.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Spicer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Spicer | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 8.5% |
Centracare- Rice Memorial Hospital
9.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Spicer faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Spicer has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Spicer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Spicer is 82°F.
50″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–24°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall36–56°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
About half of Spicer’s working residents commute to Willmar
Most working residents leave Spicer for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Spicer has lost 46 jobs, to 445 in 2023. The top destinations are Willmar (46%), New London (5%) and Litchfield (2%).
7%work in town
| Spicer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.9% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Spicer7%
Willmar46%
New London5%
Litchfield2%
Minneapolis2%
10 mi
median commute distance
445
jobs based in Spicer
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 67% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Minnesota overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (22% statewide). Spicer’s median age is 46.4 years. 30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 39% across Minnesota.
46.4median age · MN 38.8
| Spicer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.4 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 23% | 22% |
SpicerMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school25%
Some college29%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 118 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4 points). Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Spicer | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.8% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.8% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.5% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.9% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.7% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.9% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.5% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.1% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.6% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.3% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B−
The typical home in Spicer is valued at about $399K
The typical Spicer home is worth about $399,000, up 2.4% in a year, 14% above the Minnesota typical home. 68% of households own their home in Spicer.
$399KZillow home value
| Spicer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $859 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Spicer$399K
Minnesota$349K
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsA−
Spicer has set aside 6% of its land for conservation
0.4 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
6%conserved
| Spicer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
6%
conserved · 47 of 780 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Saulsbury Beach | — | 2 |
| 2. Spicer Outdoor Rink | — | 2 |
| 3. Spicer City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Spicer
18pages on Spicer
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Spicer
About 2 of every 100 Spicer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Spicer
City in Minnesota, United States
Spicer is a city in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States situated on Green Lake. As of the 2020 census, Spicer had a population of 1,112. Sibley State Park and many surrounding lakes are nearby.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,171 ft
- ZIP code
- 56288
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Spicer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Spicer, MN a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
Is Spicer, MN expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Spicer, MN known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Shane Zylstra and Brandon Zylstra.