Elma is a city in

Howard County, Iowa Howard County is a county located in the US state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,469. The county seat is Cresco. The county was founded in 1851; it was named for General Tilghman Ashurst Howard, a Representative of India ...

, United States. The population was 505 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

Elma had its start in the late 1880s by the building of the railroad through that territory.

Geography

Elma is located at (43.245649, -92.438598). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 546 people, 240 households, and 142 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 272 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 1.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, and 2.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.5% of the population. There were 240 households, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.70. The median age in the city was 51.3 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.5% were from 25 to 44; 29.7% were from 45 to 64; and 30.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 598 people, 242 households, and 150 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 264 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.33%

, 0.17%

, 0.17% Native American, and 0.33% from two or more races. There were 242 households, out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were

living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88. 20.6% were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 27.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,417, and the median income for a family was $40,417. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $19,167 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $15,263. About 10.8% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 26.2% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

Howard–Winneshiek Community School District Howard–Winneshiek Community School District is a rural public school district headquartered in Cresco, Iowa. It is mostly in Howard and Winneshiek counties, with a small section in Chickasaw County. It serves Cresco, Chester, Elma, Lime S ...

operates public schools. The district was formed from the merger of the Cresco, Lime Springs/Chester, Elma, and Ridgeway school districts, opening on July 1, 1960. When Elma had its own K–12 school district, the Elma Eagles Basketball Team made state basketball twice in the 1930s, the first in 1932 and the second in 1937. Jeff Skoda won state championship in wrestling in 1972 in the 112 weight class at Crestwood after the 1960 consolidation. In 2013 the district board voted to close Elma Elementary School.

References

External links

Introduction & history
{{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Howard County, Iowa