SpencerSD
A town of 139, settled in 1887.
Is Spencer a good place to live?
Spencer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
139 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Spencer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spencer, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Spencer.
Spencer stands out in South Dakota and nationally, with the average trip to work longer than most
2.9% of Spencer residents live below the poverty line, against 9.5% in South Dakota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (27%), Salem (16%) and Montrose (9%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 41 miles.
| Spencer | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Spencer
July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 7° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In Spencer, the median rent runs lower than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
Home values are up 9.4% over the year to September 2026. Among households in Spencer, 84% own their home.
| Spencer | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $440 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 84% | 68% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
How healthy Spencer is
13% of adults report frequent mental distress in Spencer. This South Dakota town beats the South Dakota average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Spencer.
| Spencer | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Spencer | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.4% | 75.9% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 88.1% | 84.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.1% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The biggest natural risk in Spencer is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Expected losses in Spencer break down as 61% from inland flooding and 17% from tornadoes. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Spencer after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. One flood insurance claim has been paid here since 1997.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Spencer
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Spencer; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Spencer residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
100% of working residents leave Spencer for work
Where Spencer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Spencer
City in South Dakota, United States
Spencer is a city in McCook County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 136 at the 2020 census. The city was almost destroyed by a violent F4 tornado on May 30, 1998 which killed six people.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,385 ft
- ZIP code
- 57374
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Spencer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Spencer, SD a good place to live?
Spencer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.