Median Income
$77,076
household / year
Median Home Value
$185,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$982
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Ely, NV a Good Place to Live?

Ely is a small town of 3,957 in Nevada, with a median household income of $77,076 and a 3.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Ely 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 Ely is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ely 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: 95.7

Ely's overall cost of living index is 95.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ely costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Ely, NV National Avg
Median Home Value $185,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $982 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $77,076 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Ely's violent crime rate is 386.2 per 100,000 residents — 2% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
386.2 /100k
Property Crime
511.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Ely is served primarily by White Pine County School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ely, NV National Avg
School District White Pine County School District —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ely sees average highs of 41.0°F in January and 89.4°F in July, with 9.4 inches of annual precipitation and 54.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricEly, NV
Average High — January41.0°F
Average High — July89.4°F
Annual Precipitation9.4"
Annual Snowfall54.1"

Demographics

MetricEly, NVNational Avg
Population3,957—
Median Age38.738.9
Unemployment Rate3.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time12.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)85.7%59.3%
Black or African American1.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.8%18.9%
Asian0.9%6.3%
Under 1823.9%22.2%
65 and over17.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ruth, NV 6 mi McGill, NV 11 mi Preston, NV 26 mi Lund, NV 29 mi Baker, NV 44 mi

ZIP Codes in Ely

Ely, NV is covered by 1 ZIP code:

89301

Ely vs Other Cities

Ely, NV vs Ruth, NV Ely, NV vs McGill, NV Ely, NV vs Preston, NV Ely, NV vs Lund, NV Ely, NV vs Baker, NV

Frequently Asked Questions

Ely's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ely roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $185,900 and median rent is $982/month.
Ely's violent crime rate is 386.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 511.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ely are operated by White Pine County School District. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ely, NV has a population of 3,957, a median household income of $77,076, and an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ely averages 41.0°F in January and 89.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 9.4 inches with about 54.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ely, NV is covered by 1 ZIP code: 89301.
The population of Ely, Nevada is 3,957 with a median age of 38.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ely: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $185,900, median household income $77,076, crime index 71 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ely side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.