The Town FilesElma, Iowa
City in Howard County · population 505 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $81,300
- Household income
- $44,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 44.3
Elma is a city of 505 people in Howard County, Iowa. The median home is worth $81,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for young professionals than 87% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 72% of Iowa towns, better for families than 70% of Iowa towns.
How Elma ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elma is worth $81,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $44,375, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $689 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elma | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $81,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $689 | $820 |
| Median household income | $44,375 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1943 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Elma
| People | Elma | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.9% | 88.5% |
Weather in Elma
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.5°F. About 40.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.6 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elma since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 15, 1968 about 1.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 13 deaths and 472 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Howard County since 1996
Howard County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Howard County
Howard County had 4,402 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,223 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Elma itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Towns near Elma
- Riceville, IA9.9 mi · 806 people · home $112,100
- New Hampton, IA14.5 mi · 3,494 people · home $167,700
- Charles City, IA17.2 mi · 7,396 people · home $115,400
- Cresco, IA18.4 mi · 3,888 people · home $117,200
- Le Roy, MN18.8 mi · 957 people · home $122,800
- Osage, IA18.9 mi · 3,627 people · home $160,700
- Nashua, IA21.1 mi · 1,551 people · home $129,600
- Fredericksburg, IA22.9 mi · 987 people · home $201,300
Elma questions
Is Elma, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elma scores better for retirees than 72% of Iowa towns and quieter than 55%. 30.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Elma?
The median owner-occupied home in Elma is valued at $81,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,375, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $689 a month.
What is the weather like in Elma?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.6 inches of precipitation a year and 37.6 inches of snow.
Does Elma get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 15, 1968. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)