Elma is a small town of 591 in Iowa, with a median household income of $40,625
and a 2.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 84 (US average = 100), which is
16% below the national average.
Strengths:
Elma stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Elma is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Elma city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 84.0
Elma's overall cost of living index is 84.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Elma costs roughly 16% less than the average American city.
Metric
Elma, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$70,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$564
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
66.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$40,625
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Elma's violent crime rate is 109.2 per 100,000 residents
— 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
109.2 /100k
Property Crime
349.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Elma, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
7.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Elma sees average highs of 23.3°F in January
and 80.8°F in July,
with 38.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 35.7 inches of snow per year.
Elma's cost of living index is 84, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Elma roughly 16% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $70,900 and median rent is $564/month.
Elma's violent crime rate is 109.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 349.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Elma, IA has a population of 591, a median household income of $40,625, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Elma averages 23.3°F in January and 80.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.1 inches
with about 35.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Elma, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50628.
The population of Elma, Iowa is 591 with a median age of 44.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Elma: cost of living index 84 (100 = US average), median home $70,900, median household income $40,625, crime index 24 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Elma side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
