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CITY

Elkin

North Carolina · 4,130 residents (2025 est.) · 6.81 sq mi
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The short version

Elkin is home to 4,043 people in North Carolina. 22.3% of locals live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $226,900, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $807 a month at the median. 6% of locals were born outside the United States. About 30% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 44%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

4,043
−2%since 2000
from 4,109 in 2000
4,130 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
594 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 609 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
41.6
+3%since 2000
from 40.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
6.81 sq mi
Population, 19902024
4K4K4K4K4K19902000201020202024Elkin
20244K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.5%(223)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(211)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.5%(183)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.8%(317)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2410%(405)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.8%(397)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.9%(442)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.7%(432)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.1%(531)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.5%(547)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(209)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.6%(146)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$60,740
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,698 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$32,880
+56%since 2000
from $21,123 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.6%
+20.6 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
22.3%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.478
+4%since 2010
from 0.458 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance2.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical1.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services1.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration0.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$226,900
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$807
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $445 in 2000
US average: $1,442
60.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2000
from 61.3% in 2000
39.2% rent
15.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.31 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
14.9%
−12.7 ptssince 2009
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
57.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 59.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
3.7
−20%since 2009
from 4.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
59
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic78.5%(3,226)
Black6.9%(282)
Hispanic / Latino13.4%(552)
Asian0.3%(13)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic69.7%(2,819)
Black0.7%(27)
Hispanic / Latino25.6%(1,036)
Asian2.3%(91)
Other1.7%(70)
56
+13%since 2009
from 50 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican14.3%(578)
Puerto Rican5.2%(209)
Spaniard4%(162)
Salvadoran1.7%(67)
Guatemalan0.5%(20)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.8%(32)
Chinese0.6%(23)
Korean0.5%(21)
Laotian0.4%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(9)
Chamorro0.1%(4)
Guamanian0.1%(4)
Ancestry
English15.9%(643)
Irish10.1%(408)
American8.9%(358)
German6.7%(271)
Italian2.5%(101)
French1.3%(54)
Welsh1.2%(47)
Polish0.9%(38)
Scottish0.9%(38)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(36)
Norwegian0.8%(33)
British0.7%(30)
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.6%(24)
Czech0.3%(11)
Danish0.2%(8)
Slovene0.2%(7)
Ukrainian0.2%(7)
Ethiopian0.1%(6)
Section 05

Education

29.8%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 25.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.9%
+20.4 ptssince 2000
from 68.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
8.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

25.8 min
+62%since 2000
from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
69.2%
−8.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
17.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
12.3%
+10.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
0.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
4.2%
−9.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.0%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 9.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
57.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2011
from 55.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.6%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 71.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
21.8%
+7.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
42.5%
+6.6 ptssince 2009
from 36.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

47.7%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 39.9% in 2009
52.3%
−7.8 ptssince 2009
from 60.1% in 2009
5.7%
−6.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
6.3%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
19.5%
+6.8 ptssince 2012
from 12.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
10.4%
−15.0 ptssince 2013
from 25.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
91.7%
+31.6 ptssince 2017
from 60.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.0%
+18.9 ptssince 2020
from 77.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
87.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
83.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 82.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
14.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2016
from 16.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.8%(664)
Married39.1%(607)
Widowed3.5%(54)
Divorced14.6%(227)
Women 15+
Never married31.2%(585)
Married36.7%(687)
Widowed14.2%(266)
Divorced17.9%(336)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

10.4%
−15.0 ptssince 2013
from 25.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
51.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 47.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
20.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
22.8%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.0%
+6.3 ptssince 2020
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.6%
+4.9 ptssince 2020
from 35.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.2%(30)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era67.2%(133)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 198 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Elkin, North Carolina?

Elkin, North Carolina has about 4,043 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Elkin, North Carolina?

The typical household in Elkin, North Carolina earns about $60,740 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Elkin, North Carolina expensive?

In Elkin, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $226,900, and the typical rent is about $807 a month.

How educated are people in Elkin, North Carolina?

About 29.8% of adults age 25 and over in Elkin, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Elkin, North Carolina?

About 22.3% of people in Elkin, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Elkin, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Elkin, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 273 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →