Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Spencer’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for health. 30% of residents are 65 or older in Spencer, against 18% in Tennessee’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Only 10 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. Spencer's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 91% of U.S. towns. Spencer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Spencer beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Spencer is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 147 in 1870, a low of 138 in 1890, 1,462 in 2020. The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
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 Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Spencer.
Spencer beats the Tennessee average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 45% of Spencer adults have high blood pressure, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 41% and U.S. towns at 35%. 20% of Spencer adults smoke cigarettes.
| Spencer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 41% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 12% |
| What stands out | Spencer | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.8% | 76.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.7% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Van Buren County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Van Buren Co High School, with 384 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 372 | B |
| Van Buren Co High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 384 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
The typical Spencer home is worth about $215,000, down 1.2% in a year, 35% below the Tennessee typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Spencer has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Only 6 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower July high than Spencer.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Spencer for work: only 14% work in town. Spencer’s median household income is $47,000. The top destinations are Sparta (12%), Nashville (11%) and Cookeville (9%).
| Spencer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Spencer's reported crime rate is well below Tennessee's. The property crime rate in Spencer is 6.4 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Spencer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 6.4 per 1,000 residents | 13.2 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.3 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.7 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
| Spencer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.2% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Spencer City Park | 0.3 mi | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Spencer; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Spencer residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
Town in Tennessee, United States
Spencer is a town in Van Buren County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, Spencer had a population of 1,462. It is the county seat of Van Buren County. It is home to Fall Creek Falls State Park.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.