ElmaIowaPopPlot, 2021
Elma’s story
140 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1886Elma is settled
ElmaIA
A town of 492, settled in 1886.
Population
492
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$223K
+10.8% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
44.3
years
Jobs based here
150
Balanced
Is Elma a good place to live?
30% of residents are 65 or older in Elma, above both Iowa’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower typical household income than Elma. The biggest park or preserve is Hart Pond Wildlife Area, at 32 acres. Elma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
492 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Elma: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elma, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterElma Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Elma’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHoward County AuditorHoward County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code5062850628 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elma.
Climate
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, a typical July afternoon in Elma is cooler
Elma has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 7° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–58°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Elma’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Elma for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs in Elma grew by 39 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 150. Half the trips to work are shorter than 19 miles. The town’s average trip to work stands at 23 minutes, where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
3%work in town
| Elma | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Elma3%
Cresco12%
Riceville8%
New Hampton6%
Osage4%
19 mi
median commute distance
150
jobs based in Elma
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
More of Elma’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
The share of adults in Elma who sleep under 7 hours: 31%. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Elma. The town does better than the Iowa average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 11. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Elma.
| Elma | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
4 better17 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Elma | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.4% | 20.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 85.7% | 77.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 12.6% | 6.6% |
Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton
14 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Elma has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
On expected storm and flood damage, Elma sits above nearly three fifths of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 51% come from inland flooding and 17% from drought. The national flood insurance program has paid 4 claims locally since 2016.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
4
paid flood claims since 2016
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Elma’s typical home value is about $223K
Typical home values rose 11% in the year to September 2026. In Elma, the midpoint rent is $689 a month. For households locally, the share who live in a home they own is 69%.
$223KZillow home value
| Elma | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $689 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Elma$223K
Iowa$237K
+10.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
4%conserved
4%
conserved · 31 of 782 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hart Pond Wildlife Area | — | 32 |
| 2. City Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elma
18pages on Elma
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elma; the nearest are
Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Calmar29.2 mi$6,780 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls50.5 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Elma residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
About Elma
City in Iowa, United States
Elma is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 505 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,191 ft
- ZIP code
- 50628
Questions about Elma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elma, IA a good place to live?
Elma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Elma, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Lyle Latell and Elizabeth Mahoney.