The Town FilesElba, Alabama
City in Coffee County · population 3,508 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,500
- Household income
- $44,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 47.8
Elba is a city of 3,508 people in Coffee County, Alabama. The median home is worth $114,500, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Alabama towns, quieter than 78% of Alabama towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Alabama towns.
How Elba ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elba is worth $114,500, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $44,792, which is more affordable than 69% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $653 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elba | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,500 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $653 | $834 |
| Median household income | $44,792 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.2% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Elba
| People | Elba | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.8% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 86.7% |
Weather in Elba
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 37.6°F. About 57.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 72 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elba since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 25, 1986 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 25, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Coffee County since 1996
Coffee County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| September 20, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4563: Hurricane Sally |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| July 10, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4554: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Coffee County
Coffee County had 17,365 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,411 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Elba itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Elba
3 public schools with 636 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elba Elementary School | PK-6 | 395 | 18.8 |
| Elba High School | 7-12 | 241 | 12.7 |
| The Elba Career Academy | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Elba
- Opp, AL14.1 mi · 6,771 people · home $115,700
- Enterprise, AL15.0 mi · 28,711 people · home $202,900
- Daleville, AL23.2 mi · 4,866 people · home $126,000
- Luverne, AL23.7 mi · 2,765 people · home $170,100
- Andalusia, AL24.8 mi · 8,805 people · home $153,200
- Ozark, AL25.6 mi · 14,368 people · home $148,900
- Troy, AL27.4 mi · 17,727 people · home $231,400
- Geneva, AL28.4 mi · 4,245 people · home $100,600
Elba questions
Is Elba, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elba scores better for retirees than 53% of Alabama towns and quieter than 78%. 28.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.8).
How much does a house cost in Elba?
The median owner-occupied home in Elba is valued at $114,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,792, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $653 a month.
What is the weather like in Elba?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 37.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Elba get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elba since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 25, 1986. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)