1. Spencer County, Indiana
THE INDIANA PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER
GIS in Prevention County Profiles Series, No. 3
Spencer County, Indiana
Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP
The Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University is funded, in part, by a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, financially supported through HHS/Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. The IPRC is operated by the Department of Applied Health Science and The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

2. GIS in Prevention County Profile Series, No. 3
Spencer County, Indiana
Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP
Project Staff:
Ritika Bhawal, MPH
Solomon Briggs
Kyoungsun Heo, MPA
Srinivasa Konchada
Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Trustees of Indiana University or the Division of Mental Health and Addiction. Indiana University accepts full Responsibility for the content of this publication. ©2005 The Trustees of Indiana University. Permission is extended to reproduce this County Profile for non-profit educational purposes. All other rights reserved.

3. 3. Geographic and Historical Notes
Spencer County is located on the Kentucky border and is bordered by the following counties: Warrick to the west, Dubois to the north, and Perry to the east. U.S. Highway 231, State Highway 162 and Interstate 64 cross the county. Elevation is 400 to 650 feet.
The landscape is mainly slightly sloping in the south and west; it becomes gradually steeper in the center and east; and very steep near the Anderson River and very level at the River. The landscape features hickory and oak trees. Most of the county pertains to the Kentucky and Indiana Sandstone and Shale Hills and Valleys land resource area, except the southwest corner, which is in the Central Mississippi Valley Wooded Slopes land resource area.
Spencer county is in the Ceantral Time Zone and observes DST. Average daily temperatures are 24٥/42٥ in January and 66٥/89٥ in July. Annual precipitation is 43 and snowfall about inches. The first freeze in the north is usually between October and in the south between October The last freeze in the southern third is between April 5-10, in the central third April 10-15, and in the northern third April The growing season lasts about days.
Agricultural activity is mainly corn for grain, soybean, and livestock. Additional main crops are hay and winter wheat. Livestock include cattle/calves, hogs/pigs, and turkeys. About two-thirds of the land is in farms and two-thirds of that is in cash crops. Important natural resources include coal, construction sand and gravel, petroleum and forestland. Water resources include lake/reservoirs (Chrisney, Christmas, Holly, Lincoln, Noel, and Santa Claus lakes); the Ohio and Anderson rivers; and the Crooked and Little Pigeon creeks.
Communities include the city of Rockport, the county seat, and the towns of Chrisney, Dale, Gentryville, Grandview and Santa Claus.
Sources: Map from PCensus for MapInfo; Notes from Indiana Facts: Flying the Colors by John Clements, 1995.

4. Spencer County
The maps and tables in this publication were prepared using PCensus
7.06 for MapInfo and MapInfo Professional 7.0.

5. 3. Location and Historical Notes
Spencer County Tobacco Production & Revenue:
Source: the Strategic Development Group’s “Alternative Agricultural Strategy” (Bloomington, March 15, 2001) report, which is part of Governor Joseph E. Kernan’s “Recipient Final Reports for Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture Grant Programs” (
According to the most recent data available, Spencer County ranks 11th in the State for the percent of all farms that produce tobacco (12.4%). As of 1997, a total of 433 acres in Shelby County were devoted to tobacco production on 79 farms. For those 79 farms, tobacco income per farm ($23,286) expressed as a percentage of the Average Household Income for the county ($38,960) was 59.8% in 1997.
Latest figures (from 1997 USDA Census):
Rank for acres in tobacco production: 6th
Acres in tobacco production: 433
Number of farms producing tobacco: 79
As a Percent of all farms: 12.4%
Rank in IN for percent of all farms: 11th
Tobacco income per farm producing: $23,286
Percent of County’s Ave. Household Income: 59.8%
[See appendices for more information.]

6. Don’t Know Your Block Group Number?
3. Spencer County Block Group Maps
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7. Spencer County
Block Groups