Spencer, IA GIS Map
Spencer is a city in Clay County, Iowa, with a population of about 11,233. The map below shows its location, boundary and surrounding roads, with federal GIS layers you can turn on for the area.
- County
- Clay County
- Population
- 11,233
- Elevation
- 1,320 ft
- Coordinates
- 43.1416, -95.1444
- ZIP code
- 51301
- Land area
- 10.9 sq mi
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
About Spencer, IA
Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Clay County. It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan rivers. The population was 11,325 in the 2020 census, an increase from 11,317 in 2000. Spencer hosts the Clay County Fair, held annually in September and averaging more than 300,000 visitors.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cities Near Spencer
GIS Data for Spencer, IA
The Spencer map loads live federal GIS layers in your browser, so you can check flood zones, terrain, land cover and district boundaries for any address in Spencer without a separate GIS login. Everything below is drawn from public U.S. government data.
Layers you can turn on
FEMA flood zones
National Flood Hazard Layer — flood insurance rate map zones.
Elevation contours and hillshade
USGS 3DEP terrain, so you can read slope and relief.
Land cover
NLCD land cover classes — forest, developed, wetland, water.
School districts
Census TIGER unified and elementary school district boundaries.
ZIP code and county boundaries
Census TIGER ZCTA and county boundary lines.
Map tools
Measure distance and area
Draw a line or polygon to get length in miles or area in acres.
Sketch and annotate
Add points, lines and shapes on top of the map.
Inspect any point
Click the map to read coordinates, elevation and the layers under your cursor.
Download the map
Save the current view as a PNG image.
Spencer Demographics
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Population
11,400
Households
5,201
Median household income
$59,667
Median age
41.4 years
Median home value
$184,800
Median gross rent
$805/mo
Owner-occupied homes
68.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher
29.8%
Below poverty level
14%
Land area
10.9 sq mi
Population density
1,041 / sq mi
County
ZIP codes in Spencer
Spencer Population Growth
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2024: April 2020 estimates base and July 1, 2024 estimate).
2010 Census
11,233
April 2020 (estimates base)
11,322
July 2024 estimate
11,418
Change 2010-2020
+0.8%
Change 2020-2024
+0.8%
Photos of Spencer
Hover over a photo to see it larger. Tap on mobile.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, taken in or near Spencer. Credits and licenses are shown in the larger view.
Federal Buildings & Leases in Spencer
GSA-managed federal properties in and around Spencer.
| Property | Address | Status | Sq ft | Lease ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1610 12th Ave SW | 1610 12th Ave SW, 51301 | Leased | 5,200 | Apr 2036 |
Source: U.S. GSA Inventory of Owned and Leased Properties (data.gov), September 2026.
Soils of Spencer
General soil map unit at the city center: Wadena-Talcot-Cylinder-Biscay
Soil Properties
- Drainage class
- Well drained
- Hydrologic soil group
- B (moderate infiltration)
- Available water storage (0–150 cm)
- 18.3 cm
- Typical slope
- 1%
- Flooding frequency
- None
Soil Components
- Wadena33%
Mollisols · Typic Hapludolls
- Biscay12%
Mollisols · Typic Endoaquolls
- Talcot10%
Mollisols · Typic Endoaquolls
- Cylinder9%
Mollisols · Aquic Hapludolls
- Cylinder8%
Mollisols · Aquic Hapludolls
- Wadena5%
Mollisols · Typic Hapludolls
Source: USDA NRCS U.S. General Soil Map (STATSGO2). General soil map data (1:250,000 scale) is not suitable for site-specific decisions.
Climate of Spencer
30-year averages (1991–2020) from the Spencer 1 N, Ia weather station, elevation 1,326 ft, 1.6 miles from the city center.
Warmest month
Jul · avg high 84°F
Coldest month
Jan · avg low 7°F
Annual precipitation
31.0 in
Annual snowfall
43.3 in
Average Monthly Temperatures (°F)
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F | 25 | 30 | 43 | 58 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 81 | 75 | 60 | 44 | 30 |
| Avg low °F | 7 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 47 | 58 | 62 | 59 | 50 | 37 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. in | 0.72 | 0.79 | 1.66 | 3.49 | 4.19 | 4.60 | 3.74 | 3.77 | 3.29 | 2.35 | 1.41 | 0.98 |
| Snow in | 9.8 | 8.9 | 5.9 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 9.6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Conditions at the station may differ from other parts of the city.
Natural Hazard Risk in Spencer
FEMA National Risk Index ratings for Clay County, compared with all U.S. counties.
Overall risk
Score 36.4 of 100
Expected annual loss
Buildings, population & agriculture
Social vulnerability
Susceptibility to hazard impacts
Community resilience
Ability to prepare & recover
Risk by Hazard
- HailRelatively Moderate
- Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate
- DroughtRelatively Low
- Inland FloodingRelatively Low
- TornadoRelatively Low
- Cold WaveRelatively Low
- Ice StormRelatively Low
- Strong WindRelatively Low
- LandslideVery Low
- WildfireVery Low
- Heat WaveVery Low
- EarthquakeVery Low
- LightningVery Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release). County-level ratings are relative to other U.S. counties and are not a property-specific assessment.
Spencer FAQ
What county is Spencer in?
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Spencer, Iowa is located in Clay County.
What is the population of Spencer?
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Spencer has a population of about 11,233, making it the number 33 of the 44 Iowa cities listed on GIS Map.
What is the elevation of Spencer?
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The elevation of Spencer is approximately 1,320 feet (402 meters) above sea level at the city center.
What ZIP codes are in Spencer?
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The ZIP code for Spencer is 51301.
What time zone is Spencer in?
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Spencer is in the Central Time zone (America/Chicago).
How far is Spencer from Des Moines?
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Spencer is about 132 miles from Des Moines, the capital of Iowa, in a straight line.
What cities are near Spencer?
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Cities near Spencer include Storm Lake, IA (35 miles); Worthington, MN (40 miles); Le Mars, IA (57 miles); Fort Dodge, IA (67 miles); Carroll, IA (76 miles).
Local notes for Spencer, IA
Questions and local knowledge from people who know the area. Every note is read before it appears here.