The Town FilesSpencer, Massachusetts
Community in Worcester County · population 5,810 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $341,300
- Household income
- $59,931
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 53.4
Spencer is a community of 5,810 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $341,300, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Massachusetts towns, more walkable than 92% of Massachusetts towns, more vibrant than 88% of Massachusetts towns.
How Spencer ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Spencer is worth $341,300, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $59,931, which is more affordable than 24% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,049 a month. 40.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spencer | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $341,300 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,049 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $59,931 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 40.2% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Spencer
| People | Spencer | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Spencer
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 1, 2011 about 9.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 30, 1960.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Spencer itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Towns near Spencer
- Spencer, MA0.1 mi · 11,992 people · home $382,000
- North Brookfield, MA4.0 mi · 4,735 people · home $359,100
- Leicester, MA4.2 mi · 11,087 people · home $413,100
- Paxton, MA5.1 mi · 5,004 people · home $472,300
- Brookfield, MA7.5 mi · 3,439 people · home $341,900
- Charlton, MA8.0 mi · 13,315 people · home $427,500
- Auburn, MA8.3 mi · 16,889 people · home $400,000
- West Brookfield, MA8.5 mi · 3,833 people · home $354,000
Spencer questions
Is Spencer, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spencer scores better for retirees than 29% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 6%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Spencer?
The median owner-occupied home in Spencer is valued at $341,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,931, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $1,049 a month.
What is the weather like in Spencer?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 72.9 inches of snow.
Does Spencer get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 1, 2011. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)