The Town FilesSpencer, New York
Town in Tioga County · population 2,968 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,000
- Household income
- $63,309
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.9
Spencer is a town of 2,968 people in Tioga County, New York. The median home is worth $174,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 76% of New York towns.
How Spencer ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Spencer is worth $174,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $63,309, which is more affordable than 55% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,047 a month. 76.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spencer | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,047 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $63,309 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 76.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.2% | — |
Who lives in Spencer
| People | Spencer | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Spencer
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 16.1°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 2, 2014 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 2, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 29, 2006.
Severe weather in Tioga County since 1996
Tioga County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 1, 2018 | Flood | DR-4397: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Tioga County
Tioga County had 13,093 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,197 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Spencer itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Towns near Spencer
- Danby, NY7.6 mi · 3,421 people · home $291,800
- Candor, NY7.8 mi · 5,149 people · home $135,100
- Tioga, NY9.5 mi · 4,440 people · home $125,300
- Barton, NY9.6 mi · 8,609 people · home $141,000
- Newfield, NY10.7 mi · 5,126 people · home $171,300
- Caroline, NY11.6 mi · 3,334 people · home $234,200
- South Hill, NY13.1 mi · 7,245 people · home $353,800
- Owego, NY13.3 mi · 3,654 people · home $147,300
Spencer questions
Is Spencer, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spencer scores better for retirees than 21% of New York towns and quieter than 51%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Spencer?
The median owner-occupied home in Spencer is valued at $174,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,309, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,047 a month.
What is the weather like in Spencer?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 16.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 64.4 inches of snow.
Does Spencer get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spencer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 2, 2014. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)