Chester vs Elma
A side-by-side comparison of Chester and Elma: population, income, housing, and more.
Chester and Elma are places in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Elma has the higher population (618 vs 141 in Chester). Chester has the higher median household income ($57,500 vs $41,528 in Elma). Chester has the higher median home value ($101,800 vs $71,400 in Elma).
Population, income & housing
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 141 | 618 |
| Median age | 39.5 yrs | 48.0 yrs |
| Median household income | $57,500 | $41,528 |
| Median home value | $101,800 | $71,400 |
| Median gross rent | $513 | $668 |
| Housing units | 76 | 321 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.5% | 62.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 11.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 2.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 184 → 141 (-23.4%) | 536 → 618 (+15.3%) |
| Median household income | $31,250 → $57,500 (+84.0%) | $48,214 → $41,528 (-13.9%) |
| Median home value | $63,200 → $101,800 (+61.1%) | $59,800 → $71,400 (+19.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $706 → $513 (-27.3%) | $575 → $668 (+16.2%) |
Chester
184141
$31,250$57,500
$63,200$101,800
$706$513
Elma
536618
$48,214$41,528
$59,800$71,400
$575$668
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.3% | 3.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.7% | 13.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 16.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.4% | 5.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.0% | 11.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.0% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.9% | 7.0% |
| 75 and over | 9.9% | 22.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 99.3% | 91.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 0.7% | 6.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 2.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.1% | 8.5% |
| High school graduate | 34.7% | 54.9% |
| Some college or associate's | 46.9% | 25.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 12.2% | 8.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 0.0% | 3.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 64.8% | 79.3% |
| Carpooled | 23.9% | 10.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 0.0% | 4.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 4.2% | 5.5% |
| Other means | 7.0% | 0.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 77.6% | 80.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.9% | 0.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.3% | 8.7% |
| 20 or more units | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.3% | 6.2% |
Poverty & households
| Chester | Elma | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 23.0% |
| Average household size | 2.43 | 2.13 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 33 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1938 | 1944 |
Full profiles
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