CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.30° N · 78.95° W · GEOID 4222976

Elim

Cambria County, Pennsylvania · part of the Johnstown, PA metro

Limited data population under 5,000

PennsylvaniaElim, PAElimElim

The short answer

Elim is home to 3,759 people. Median household income is $65,482 a year and median rent is $871 a month, 16.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $113,000, about 1.7x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$871
36% below the median place
Median household income
$65,482
18% below the median place
Median home value
$113,000
65% below the median place
Unemployment
4.7%
5% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Elim

  • The median home is worth 1.7 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 97% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • Only 29% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 94% of places its size.
  • 5.8% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 82% of places its size.
  • Half the homes were built before 1959, older housing than in 82% of places its size.
  • Median rent is $871 a month, lower than in 80% of places its size.
01

Moving to Elim

Cambria County loses about 0.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in3,443
Moved out3,455
Net−12

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Blair County, PA296336−40
Bedford County, PA6854+14

Within Pennsylvania, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within PennsylvaniaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$49K
Leavers$52K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Cambria County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.9% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Cambria County report $49,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $51,800, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$34,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $871 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,190 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $113,000.
Getting to work
23 minutes each way on average; 18.4% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Albert Lea, MN matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving in7
$48,978
31% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$51,816
26% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure3.9%31% below
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-0.183% above
Income of households moving in7County figure$48,97831% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$51,81626% below
02

What it costs to live here

Home price to income is 1.7x, 54% below the median place.

Elim16.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$34,840
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.0%
22% below the median place
Home price to income
1.7x
54% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$57,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Elim, $871 a month, and local prices for everything else (94.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Elim.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Elim? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
29.0%
43% below the median place
Median home value1
$113,000
65% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,190
36% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$87136% below
Rent to income116.0%22% below
Property tax rate11.7%91% above
Home price to income11.7x54% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure85.915% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,01437% below
HUD area median income4County figure$84,50021% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,96140% below
Median home value1$113,00065% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure5.4%70% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure44.1%14% below
Homeownership167.8%2% above
Renters paying 30%+129.0%43% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,19036% below
Vacant homes1County figure13.2%86% above
Median year built119591% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
5.8%
47% below the median place
Works from home1
18.4%
47% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$65,482 −18%
Income per person$35,935 −10%
Mean commute23 min −6%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$65,48218% below
Income per person1$35,93510% below
Unemployment1County figure4.7%5% below
Average annual pay6County figure$52,22621% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.9%32% above
Jobs6County figure46,95669% below
Poverty rate15.8%47% below
Mean commute123 min6% below
Works from home118.4%47% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 83.2%, 10% below the median place.

Homes with broadband1
83.2%
10% below the median place
High school or higher1
97.7%
6% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
17.5%
46% below the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population13,7596646th largest
Median age144.013% above
Bachelor's or higher117.5%46% below
High school or higher197.7%6% above
Household size12.39% below
Born abroad1County figure1.1%87% below
No health insurance1County figure3.3%48% below
Homes with broadband183.2%10% below
05

Life in Elim

33 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k2.7 +25%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.8 +0%
Shops35.7 +18%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.1 +0%
Doctors' offices and clinics19.5 −3%
Child care centers3.6 +57%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Child care centers per 10k8
3.6
57% above the median place
Students per teacher11
12.8
17% below the median place
Shops per 10k8
35.7
18% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure37311% above
Public school students11County figure15,789222% above
Students per teacher11County figure12.817% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure20.80% above
Shops per 10k8County figure35.718% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.10% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure19.53% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure3.657% above
Parks per 10k90.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k92.725% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure33154% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Heat wave risk is 21.7, 76% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Elim. Larger places are fetched first.

Heat wave risk13
21.7
76% below the median place
July average high12
80°F
8% below the median place
Average temperature12
48°F
13% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureElimAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure80°F8% below
January average low12County figure17°F31% below
Average temperature12County figure48°F13% below
Annual precipitation12County figure46.2 in5% above
Natural hazard risk13County figure76.417% below
Hurricane risk13County figure76.28% above
Tornado risk13County figure63.922% below
Wildfire risk13County figure41.033% below
Heat wave risk13County figure21.776% below
Median air quality index14County figure415% below
Good air days14County figure74.5%9% above
08

Elim in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 16% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$871/mo (2024)$1,110/mo$910 to $1,360/mo+4.2%
Median household income$65,482 (2024)$82,500$70,000 to $98,000+4.0%
Median home value$113,000 (2024)$158,000$115,000 to $218,000+5.8%

The median home would be worth 1.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Elim

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Albert Lea, MN$857$64,603Compare
Pontiac, IL$842$61,279Compare
Perry Heights, OH$930$61,601Compare
Plaquemine, LA$880$69,366Compare
Plaquemine, LAPerry Heights, OHPontiac, ILAlbert Lea, MNElim, PAElimAlbert LeaPontiacPlaquemineElimAlbert LeaPontiacPlaquemine

Common questions

Is Elim a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median home is worth 1.7 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 97% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. Only 29% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 94% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 85 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Elim expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $113,000.

What salary do you need to live in Elim?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $34,840 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Elim?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Albert Lea, MN, Pontiac, IL, Perry Heights, OH and Plaquemine, LA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Elim with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Elim itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/elim-pennsylvania

Citytistics. “Elim, Pennsylvania.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/elim-pennsylvania/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.