The Town FilesEly, Iowa
City in Linn County · population 2,328 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $311,900
- Household income
- $105,882
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 38.1
Ely is a city of 2,328 people in Linn County, Iowa. The median home is worth $311,900, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Iowa towns, better transit than 86% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 86% of Iowa towns.
How Ely 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 Ely is worth $311,900, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $105,882, which is more affordable than 16% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 81.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ely | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $311,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $936 | $820 |
| Median household income | $105,882 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 81.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ely
| People | Ely | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Ely
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.2 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ely since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 20, 1953 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 31, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 128 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Linn County since 1996
Linn County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| October 31, 2016 | Flood | DR-4289: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Linn County
Linn County had 125,917 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,613 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Ely itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near Ely
- Shueyville, IA4.1 mi · 731 people · home $574,800
- Swisher, IA6.1 mi · 914 people · home $260,300
- Solon, IA6.8 mi · 3,018 people · home $309,400
- Cedar Rapids, IA7.5 mi · 137,710 people · home $187,100
- Mount Vernon, IA8.8 mi · 4,527 people · home $245,200
- North Liberty, IA9.5 mi · 20,479 people · home $303,800
- Fairfax, IA10.3 mi · 2,828 people · home $274,500
- Lisbon, IA10.4 mi · 2,233 people · home $219,700
Ely questions
Is Ely, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ely scores better for retirees than 49% of Iowa towns and quieter than 35%. 12.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Ely?
The median owner-occupied home in Ely is valued at $311,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,882, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Ely?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 29.2 inches of snow.
Does Ely get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ely since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 20, 1953. 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)