City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Elkhart, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Elkhart - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

680
Residents
$81,771
Median income
$241,700
Median home
$1,318
Median rent (state)

Elkhart - the verdict

Nationally, Elkhart sits in the 63rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

63rd
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Elkhart, IA

680 people live in Elkhart, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $81,771 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Elkhart's housing stock carries a median value of $241,700, and the median resident age is 38.7 years. 25.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 73.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 9 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 55% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,318 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Commute times here average 24.6 minutes, with 77.9% driving alone and 13.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 92.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

680 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$81,771 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Elkhart compare to other US cities?

Where Elkhart sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Elkhart against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Elkhart's strongest outlier among Iowa cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Elkhart ranks #34 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Elkhart only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#166 of 845
80th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#34 of 858
90th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#81 of 849
90th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#432 of 858
49th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#183 of 858
79th percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

63rdIncome percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Elkhart's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$241,700 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Elkhart $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Elkhart, IA Elkhart, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Elkhart, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Elkhart, IA median $81,771/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Elkhart, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Elkhart, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
680
Median Income
$81,771
Median Home Value
$241,700
Median Age
38.7
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
73.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.8%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
800 residents900 residents1,000 residents1,100 residents1,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 897 residents 1,097 residents ▲ +22.3%
Elkhart's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
13.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 20
2021 34
2022 22
2023 12
2024 9

Permit volume decreased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.6 minutes
Drive Alone
77.9%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
13.4%

Based on 389 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Elkhart sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,318/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Albert City
680 people
Lakeside
678 people
McGregor
686 people
Minden
687 people
Montrose
688 people
Stanton
670 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Elkhart's 680 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dove Creek, CO
680 people
Brookport, IL
680 people
Onaga, KS
680 people
Stafford, KS
680 people
Lemannville, LA
680 people
North Brentwood, MD
680 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Elkhart's $81,771 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Whaleyville, MD
$81,771 median income
Brighton, MI
$81,772 median income
Chamblee, GA
$81,774 median income
Enoch, UT
$81,767 median income
Yorktown, IN
$81,765 median income
Inez, TX
$81,760 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Elkhart, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Elkhart, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.8% White 92.1% Black or African American 3.2% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 4.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Elkhart compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Elkhart (this city) 680 $81,771
Albert City 680 $76,094
Lakeside 678 $95,481
McGregor 686 $58,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Elkhart, IA?

What is the population of Elkhart, IA? +

The population of Elkhart, IA stands at 680 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Elkhart, IA? +

Elkhart households earn a median of $81,771 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Elkhart? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Elkhart; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Elkhart, IA? +

The median home value in Elkhart is $241,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.