Is Elba, NY a Good Place to Live?
Elba is a small town of 491 in New York, with a median household income of $68,125 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Elba stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Elba is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Elba 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: 95.3Elba's overall cost of living index is 95.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Elba costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Elba, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $125,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $900 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 87.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $68,125 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeElba's violent crime rate is 141.4 per 100,000 residents — 63% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Elba is served primarily by ELBA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 7.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Elba, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | ELBA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 7.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Elba sees average highs of 31.0°F in January and 80.0°F in July, with 36.6 inches of annual precipitation and 73.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Elba, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.0°F |
| Average High — July | 80.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 73.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Elba, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 491 | — |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Elba
Elba, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: