Spencer, IA vs Fort Dodge, IA

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

MetricSpencer, IAFort Dodge, IA
Population11,40024,827
Median Household Income$59,667$60,649
Median Rent$805/mo$785/mo
Median Home Value$184,800$144,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income36.9%42.2%
Poverty Rate14%15.9%
Unemployment Rate3.2% (county)3.8%
Violent Crime Rate /100k96940
Property Crime Rate /100k8742,848
Median AQI—45
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs82°F81°F
Winter Lows10°F11°F
Snowfall43 in/yr39 in/yr
Avg Commute15.8 min19 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.216.5
College Degree Rate29.8%21.7%
Foreign-Born %3.3%4.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%-0.2%

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