Population 8,615 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Elma
Household size in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.74 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Elma average 2.74 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has crept up from 2.68 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.2 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.0, Elma is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 40.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Elma (12.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Washington overall (10.1%). The single-parent share is down 7.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Elma
Renters in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −12.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.2% of households in Elma rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 40.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 12.6 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Elma than nationally: 11.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +6 |
Housing in Elma leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south. Elma has older homes than the great majority of Washington cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $686 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $711 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $764 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $971 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$285 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Elma runs $971 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $285 a month since 2006–10, up 42%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Elma
Bachelor's degrees in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.9% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Elma: 16.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 13 of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.1% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.7% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Elma never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Elma has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Washington cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Elma
| Period | Elma | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Elma: 7.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.5 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Elma compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elma | 2.74 | 45.0 | 12.5% | 21.2% | 11.7% | 1975 | $971 | 16.9% | 87.2% | 7.1% |
| Satsop | 2.89 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 18.7% | 7.5% | 1977 | $1,050 | 18.0% | 88.8% | 10.1% |
| Saginaw | 3.38 | 45.6 | 6.9% | 7.8% | 11.3% | 1983 | $1,028 | 7.2% | 77.1% | 2.5% |
| South Elma | 2.97 | 46.1 | 7.6% | 13.2% | 9.1% | 1982 | $1,053 | 15.4% | 89.5% | 2.6% |
| Brady | 2.31 | 44.6 | 4.1% | 24.3% | 6.2% | 1978 | $1,249 | 23.0% | 92.1% | 5.6% |
| Malone | 2.31 | 56.1 | 2.4% | 6.9% | 10.2% | 1991 | $1,107 | 15.5% | 94.0% | 3.7% |
| Mccleary | 2.61 | 40.1 | 9.9% | 14.4% | 8.9% | 1987 | $1,182 | 18.7% | 90.0% | 9.4% |
| Hillgrove | 2.72 | 39.7 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 1990 | $1,294 | 21.6% | 91.2% | 6.8% |
| Porter | 2.30 | 56.6 | 2.4% | 7.0% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,087 | 15.2% | 93.9% | 3.5% |
| Montesano | 2.45 | 45.6 | 7.3% | 26.9% | 11.4% | 1972 | $1,119 | 23.7% | 93.5% | 4.2% |
| South Montesano | 2.38 | 55.5 | 9.0% | 8.1% | 8.0% | 1964 | $1,241 | 22.6% | 95.1% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Country Club Estates, GA · Crossville, AL · Cross City, FL · Crookston, MN · Crockett, TX · Crete, NE · Creston, IA · Crandall, TX · Cowpens, SC · Dayton, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Elma. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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