The Town FilesSpencer, Tennessee
City in Van Buren County · population 1,462 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $150,800
- Household income
- $46,705
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 51.9
Spencer is a city of 1,462 people in Van Buren County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $150,800, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for retirees than 92% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 92% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 70% of Tennessee towns.
How Spencer ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Spencer is worth $150,800, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $46,705, which is more affordable than 71% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $575 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spencer | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $150,800 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $575 | $863 |
| Median household income | $46,705 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Spencer
| People | Spencer | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.9 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.3% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Spencer
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 25.2°F. About 59.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 100 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 10, 2002 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 28, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 8, 1998.
Severe weather in Van Buren County since 1996
Van Buren County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Van Buren County
Van Buren County had 919 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,600 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Spencer itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Spencer
2 public schools with 754 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren Co High School | 6-12 | 386 | 11.7 |
| Spencer Elementary | PK-5 | 368 | 12.3 |
Towns near Spencer
- Sparta, TN13.5 mi · 4,998 people · home $217,000
- Pikeville, TN17.0 mi · 1,824 people · home $168,500
- McMinnville, TN18.6 mi · 13,788 people · home $182,200
- Pleasant Hill, TN21.6 mi · 540 people · home $175,000
- Lake Tansi, TN23.9 mi · 4,629 people · home $280,900
- Smithville, TN25.5 mi · 5,004 people · home $194,200
- Dunlap, TN26.0 mi · 5,357 people · home $192,100
- Altamont, TN26.4 mi · 1,117 people · home $91,900
Spencer questions
Is Spencer, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spencer scores better for retirees than 92% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 92%. 29.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.9).
How much does a house cost in Spencer?
The median owner-occupied home in Spencer is valued at $150,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,705, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $575 a month.
What is the weather like in Spencer?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 25.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.0 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does Spencer get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 10, 2002. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- 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)