United States › Washington › Elma CITY
Elma Washington · 3,534 residents (2025 est.) · 2.76 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 3,483 people, Elma is a city in Washington. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The poverty rate is 24.9%, above the 12.5% national rate. The median age is 42.6, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 6%. Households here earn about 20% less than in Washington as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 134%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,049 in 2000
3,534 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,260 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 1,138 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 3K 3K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Elma Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $78,086
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,031 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,629 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.303 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 20.8%
Public administration 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$409,600
+134%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$984
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 55.0% in 2000
33.3% rent
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.71 people
+23%since 2009
from 2.21 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 89.3%(2,724)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(111)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 79.4%(2,767)
Hispanic / Latino 16.3%(569)
from 20 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 22.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 22.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 45.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 34.6%(82)
Gulf War (1990s) 33.8%(80)
Share of the 237 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Elma, Washington? Elma, Washington has about 3,483 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Elma, Washington? The typical household in Elma, Washington earns about $78,086 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Elma, Washington expensive? In Elma, Washington, the median home is worth about $409,600, and the typical rent is about $984 a month.
How educated are people in Elma, Washington? About 21.3% of adults age 25 and over in Elma, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Elma, Washington? About 24.9% of people in Elma, Washington live below the federal poverty line.
Has Elma, Washington grown since 1990? Yes, Elma, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 472 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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