Spencer, IA vs Fairmont, MN

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricSpencer, IAFairmont, MN
Population11,40010,296
Median Household Income$59,667$53,084
Median Rent$805/mo$738/mo
Median Home Value$184,800$169,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income36.9%50.7%
Poverty Rate14%15.3%
Unemployment Rate3.2% (county)4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k96208
Property Crime Rate /100k8741,256
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs82°F81°F
Winter Lows10°F10°F
Snowfall43 in/yr40 in/yr
Avg Commute15.8 min13.1 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 55.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.216
College Degree Rate29.8%25.7%
Foreign-Born %3.3%2.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%-3.5%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.