Elma is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, home to about 3,483 people across 2.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 98541.
Homes sold for a median of $282 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Elma; also Satsop and Malone
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Elma. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
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 | Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)60 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Olympia Regional Airport (OLM)24 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Seattle, WA65 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 3,438 residents in the 2020 census, up 13% since 2000.
It’s the 237th largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.
Grays Harbor County grew from 15,124 residents in 1900 to 75,636 in 2020.
Grays Harbor County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 34°F. About 72.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Elma, WA weather station (about a mile away).
15,927 jobs at 1,558 businesses in Grays Harbor County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
84 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Elma.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 27 |
| Mental health providers | 26 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 10 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 4 |
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.
Parks (5 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles 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.
Established in 1853.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Elma School District, Mary M Knight School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elma Elementary SchoolElma | Pre-K–5 | 688 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Mary M. Knight SchoolElma | Pre-K–12 | 184 | Public | 13.5 mi |
| Eagle Virtual Sky AcademyElma | K–12 | 41 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Elma Middle SchoolElma | 6–8 | 324 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| East Grays Harbor High SchoolElma | 9–12 | 4 | Alternative Education | 0.5 mi |
| East Grays Harbor Open DoorsElma | 9–12 | 42 | Alternative Education | 0.5 mi |
| Elma High SchoolElma | 9–12 | 578 | Public | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Satsop, Malone and Porter.
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.