Elma is a city in Howard County, Iowa, home to about 659 people across 1.2 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50628.
We’re writing up Elma’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)118 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Rochester International Airport (RST)44 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN121 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL260 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Elma; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Elma had 505 residents in the 2020 census, down 16% since 2000.
It’s the 404th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Howard County grew from 14,512 residents in 1900 to 9,469 in 2020.
Howard County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 81°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 39 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, New Hampton, IA weather station (17 miles away).
3,350 jobs at 270 businesses in Howard County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
2 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Elma.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 1 |
|---|---|
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Libraries
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.