The Town FilesSpencer, Minnesota
Township in Aitkin County · population 522 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $242,100
- Household income
- $81,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 43.2
Spencer is a township of 522 people in Aitkin County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $242,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 86% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 85% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Spencer ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Spencer is worth $242,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $81,375, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,342 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spencer | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,342 | $991 |
| Median household income | $81,375 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.0% | — |
Who lives in Spencer
| People | Spencer | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Spencer
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 0.1°F. About 31.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 12, 2024 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on August 31, 2018.
Severe weather in Aitkin County since 1996
Aitkin County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Aitkin County
Aitkin County had 4,328 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,689 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Spencer itself the ACS puts it at 10.1%.
Towns near Spencer
- Aitkin, MN4.0 mi · 2,168 people · home $181,300
- Nordland, MN6.0 mi · 983 people · home $302,800
- Aitkin, MN6.7 mi · 910 people · home $305,800
- Farm Island, MN8.6 mi · 995 people · home $347,000
- Deerwood, MN13.0 mi · 1,309 people · home $422,700
- Deerwood, MN14.1 mi · 526 people · home $225,000
- Crosby, MN15.6 mi · 2,360 people · home $185,600
- Hazelton, MN16.8 mi · 792 people · home $359,100
Spencer questions
Is Spencer, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spencer scores better for retirees than 64% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 86%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).
How much does a house cost in Spencer?
The median owner-occupied home in Spencer is valued at $242,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,375, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,342 a month.
What is the weather like in Spencer?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 0.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.8 inches of snow.
Does Spencer get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 12, 2024. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)