Elm Creek, NE vs Malcolm, NE

Elm Creek is moderately more affordable than Malcolm, with a 9.7% lower cost of living index. Elm Creek scores 71 compared to 79 for Malcolm, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Malcolm can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Elm Creek is $767/month compared to $893/month in Malcolm — a 14% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Elm Creek is more affordable at $197,100 median vs $239,800.

Median household income in Elm Creek is $75,625 compared to $84,712 in Malcolm (-10.7%). While Malcolm is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Elm Creek spend roughly 12.2% of their income on rent, less than the 12.6% in Malcolm.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (51.9°F vs 52.3°F). Malcolm receives more rainfall at 29.3" per year compared to 26.4" in Elm Creek.