Median Income
$64,808
household / year
Median Home Value
$311,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$944
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Elma, WA a Good Place to Live?

Elma is a small town of 3,426 in Washington, with a median household income of $64,808 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Elma stands out for lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. 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: 102.2

Elma's overall cost of living index is 102.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Elma costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Elma, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $311,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $944 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $64,808 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Elma's violent crime rate is 230.9 per 100,000 residents — 39% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
230.9 /100k
Property Crime
1529.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Elma is served primarily by Elma School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Elma, WA National Avg
School District Elma School District —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 18.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 82.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Elma sees average highs of 48.6°F in January and 78.4°F in July, with 72.0 inches of annual precipitation and 1.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricElma, WA
Average High — January48.6°F
Average High — July78.4°F
Annual Precipitation72.0"
Annual Snowfall1.9"

Demographics

MetricElma, WANational Avg
Population3,426—
Median Age40.738.9
Unemployment Rate6.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)78.3%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino17.2%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1823.0%22.2%
65 and over19.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Satsop, WA 4 mi Malone, WA 5 mi Brady, WA 6 mi Porter, WA 7 mi McCleary, WA 8 mi

Elma vs Other Cities

Elma, WA vs Satsop, WA Elma, WA vs Malone, WA Elma, WA vs Brady, WA Elma, WA vs Porter, WA Elma, WA vs McCleary, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Elma's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Elma roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $311,000 and median rent is $944/month.
Elma's violent crime rate is 230.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1529.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Elma are operated by Elma School District. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.4:1. 19.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Elma, WA has a population of 3,426, a median household income of $64,808, and an unemployment rate of 6.1%. 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 48.6°F in January and 78.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 72.0 inches with about 1.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Elma, Washington is 3,426 with a median age of 40.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Elma: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $311,000, median household income $64,808, crime index 66 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. 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.