The Town Files

Elim, Pennsylvania

Community in Cambria County · population 3,364 (2020 Census)

Map: where Elim is in PennsylvaniaElim
Median home
$113,000
Household income
$65,482
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 79°
Snow a year
86 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
44.0

Elim is a community of 3,364 people in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $113,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Pennsylvania towns.

Elim in our rankings:

How Elim ranks

Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.

Elim lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement98th pctFamilies46th pctQuiet39th pctWalkability48th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals19th pctVibrancy33rd pctHip & trendy63rd pctCollege town41st pctUpscale42nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit45th pctDriving13th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Elim is worth $113,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $65,482, which is more affordable than 95% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $871 a month. 67.8% of households own their home.

Elim vs Cambria County vs typical Pennsylvania townElimCambria CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$113,000$121,000$214,250Household income$65,482$58,418$75,278Monthly rent$871$739$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingElimTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$113,000$214,250
Median rent$871$996
Median household income$65,482$75,278
Home value ÷ income1.7×2.8×
Homeownership67.8%81.5%
Median year built19591971
Seasonal / vacation homes2.7%—

Who lives in Elim

PeopleElimTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age44.044.2
Age 65 and over25.8%21.1%
Under 1822.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher17.5%23.8%
Below the poverty line5.8%8.5%
Veterans14.0%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home18.4%10.6%
Average commute23.3 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband83.2%89.0%

Weather in Elim

July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.

Elim monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing33°19°Jan36°21°Feb45°28°Mar58°38°Apr68°49°May75°57°Jun79°61°Jul77°60°Aug71°53°Sep59°43°Oct47°33°Nov38°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.524.82.522.83.112.33.53.14.10.14.44.24.04.03.11.03.15.22.716.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Johnstown Cambria Co Ap station (6.0 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elim since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 18, 2026 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Elim by decade11950s01960s11970s21980s31990s02000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 17, 1960.

Severe weather in Cambria County since 1996

Storm events in Cambria County since 1996 by typeHail33Flood13Drought7Tornado10High Wind35Ice Storm15Heavy Snow53Flash Flood38
NOAA Storm Events Database, Cambria County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Cambria County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 11, 2024Tropical StormDR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 8, 2011FloodEM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee

Jobs and pay in Cambria County

Cambria County had 47,545 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,791 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Elim itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.

Largest industries in Cambria CountyHealth care & social assistan…9,974 jobs · $57,025Retail6,068 jobs · $32,295Manufacturing4,191 jobs · $61,370Hotels & restaurants3,974 jobs · $17,325Other services2,109 jobs · $32,971Administrative & support1,981 jobs · $38,123
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Cambria County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Cambria 4.1%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Elim

Elim questions

Is Elim, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elim scores better for retirees than 98% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 39%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).

How much does a house cost in Elim?

The median owner-occupied home in Elim is valued at $113,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,482, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $871 a month.

What is the weather like in Elim?

July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 85.9 inches of snow.

Does Elim get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elim since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 18, 2026. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Elim's Census boundary (GEOID 4222976). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.