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North Carolina›Rowan County
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East SpencerNC

A town of 1,650, settled in 1910.

Population
1,650
2025 Census estimate · +4.5% since 2020
Median home value
$112K
Census ACS
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
51.0
years
Jobs based here
230
A commuter town

Is East Spencer a good place to live?

The best of East Spencer’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D for health. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in East Spencer, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 25 of North Carolina’s 450 towns score higher on cost of living. East Spencer's public schools trail 73% of North Carolina towns on state tests and graduation. East Spencer's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. East Spencer Graded School is on the National Register of Historic Places. East Spencer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestACost of livingWeakestDHealthC−Jobs & incomeCSchools
A commuter town

98% of working residents leave East Spencer for work

Where East Spencer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

23% → Salisbury Salisbury 23% 14% → Charlotte Charlotte 14% 5% → Concord Concord 5% 3% → Greensboro Greensboro 3% 3% → Raleigh Raleigh 3% 2% → Cleveland Cleveland 2% East Spencer · 2% stay
230jobs based in East Spencer
2%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

How East Spencer grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far East Spencer is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingTypical home $112K, 1.3 years of the Charlotte metro’s $83K median household incomeAOpen →HealthNovant Health Rowan Medical Center 2.7 miles awayDOpen →Jobs & income$34K median household incomeC−Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.9 of 20; 9.7% of households have no car; 2.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 4% conserved landB−Open →History1 place on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life1.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 51.0; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to East Spencer: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in East Spencer, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerCity of Concord11.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of East Spencer water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have East Spencer’s trash rules yet
SchoolsRowan-Salisbury SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereRowan County Board of ElectionsRowan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP codes28144, 2803928144 96% · 28039 4%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 East Spencer.

HealthD

Residents of East Spencer are less healthy than 86% of U.S. towns

In the comparison, East Spencer comes above both North Carolina’s towns (13%) and U.S. towns (12%). East Spencer beats the North Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 44% of East Spencer adults have obesity.

14%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
East SpencerNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)17%13%12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)12%15%16%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)44%36%35%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)45%38%35%
32 measures vs. North Carolina
2 better13 too close to call17 worse
What stands outEast SpencerNC
Fewer adults who have had cancer5.5%7.9%
Fewer binge drinkers11.6%14.7%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth25.9%13.9%
Novant Health Rowan Medical Center
2.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageEast Spencer’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exerciseHospitals & doctors nearby2.7 miles to an ER · Novant Health Rowan Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than NC on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−

Most of East Spencer’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave East Spencer for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, East Spencer has added 68 jobs, to 230 in 2023. The top destinations are Salisbury (23%), Charlotte (14%) and Concord (5%).

2%work in town
East SpencerNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town2.1%6.8%8%
Average trip to work23 minutes24 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In East Spencer2%
Salisbury23%
Charlotte14%
Concord5%
Greensboro3%
25 mi
median commute distance
230
jobs based in East Spencer
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 34% of U.S. towns
Full pageEast Spencer’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here230 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work2% work in East SpencerCommute times23 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 25 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

East Spencer has mild winters and hot summers

East Spencer has mild winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 29° and about 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.

2″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter31–53°
Spring46–71°
Summer66–87°
Fall48–72°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageEast Spencer’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 29°Rain & snow2″ of snow a winter · 44 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Safety

Crime reported in East Spencer

East Spencer's reported crime rate is above North Carolina's. The property crime rate in East Spencer is 29.4 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes.

East SpencerNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2023)29.4 per 1,000 residents2613.1
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023)4.4 per 1,000 residents3.11.8

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

East Spencer4.4
North Carolina4
U.S.3.9

Property crime per 1,000 residents

East Spencer29.4
North Carolina21.1
U.S.19.5
7
violent crimes reported in 2023
47
property crimes reported in 2023
Full pageEast Spencer’s safety reportOpen the page
Violent crime by type4.4 violent crimes per 1,000Crime over the yearsReported crime since 2023Vs. the neighbors2 bordering townsQuestions“Is East Spencer, NC safe?”

FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police

OutdoorsB−

4.3% of East Spencer is conserved land

0.3 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.

4.3%conserved
East SpencerNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile0.1 miles per square mile0.20.4
Conserved land4.3%3.4%4.3%
4.3%
conserved · 67 of 1,560 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Royal Giants Park—8
Full pageEast Spencer’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map0.3 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk8 acres · Royal Giants ParkConserved land4.3% conserved · 67 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in East Spencer?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−

Moderate risk in East Spencer, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in East Spencer since 2018.

46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
46Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2018
1
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageEast Spencer’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claimsSince 2018Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in East SpencerGet ready1.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HousingCost of living grade A

Homes in East Spencer sell for about $230K

53% of households own their home in East Spencer.

$230Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
BalancedA seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
85
days on market
99.5%
sale-to-list price
5
homes sold in May
Full pageEast Spencer’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 6.7 years of incomeRents$677 a month · Median rentVs. the neighborsAhead of all 2 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Nearby attractions

Bank of America Stadium and 25 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around East Spencer. Close and well known come first.

All 43 attractions →
Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaBank of America Stadium32 mi LakeLake Normanin town MuseumNorth Carolina Transportation Museum33 mi Stadium & arenaAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium30 mi MuseumOld Salem37 mi Zoo & aquariumNorth Carolina Zoo700K visitors a year
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Bank of America Stadium: HangingCurve, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Norman: Prince Grobhelm, CC BY-SA 3.0 · North Carolina Transportation Museum: Unknown, Public domain · Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium: BobHWS, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Old Salem: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · North Carolina Zoo: Diane Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about East Spencer

20pages on East Spencer
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 73% of NC districtsSafety4.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthDBetter than NC on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingAWork & commuteC−$34K median household income · 230 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsB−0 mi of trails · 4% conserved landPlacesAttractions43 nearby · North Carolina Transportation Museum 1 miLibraryD−Rowan Public LibraryCollegesLivingstone College is 3.4 mi away
The story
HistoryC+Settled 1910 · 1 on the National RegisterFamous people1 born in East SpencerTown Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 183 residentsClimate89° summer highs · 2″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 28039Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

4 within 15 miles of the center of East Spencer

Livingstone CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Salisbury3.4 mi$18,296 tuitionCatawba CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Salisbury3.4 mi$34,300 tuitionRowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salisbury4.3 mi$2,064 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 East Spencer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About East Spencer

Town in North Carolina, United States

East Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, East Spencer had a population of 1,567. Originally called "Southern City" because of significance of the railway to the area, it was incorporated in 1901 as East Spencer. It was named for the Spencer shops that opened in the area in 1896.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
1.6 sq mi
Elevation
728 ft
ZIP code
28039
Area code
704

East Spencer’s neighbors

2 towns share a border with East Spencer.

Explore the map →
SalisburySpencerSalisburySpencerEast Spencer
Salisbury
W · 23% of East Spencer workers commute here
Visit
Spencer
N
Visit
How the neighbors grade
TownNC rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
East Spencer——A—CD
Salisbury#248DB−D−CC−
Spencer#162CACCC−

East Spencer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. East Spencer reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare East Spencer with a neighbor →

Questions about East Spencer

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is East Spencer, NC expensive?

Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $112,000, 66% below the North Carolina typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.