United States › Pennsylvania › Elk County COUNTY
Elk County Pennsylvania · 29,926 residents (2025 est.) · 827 sq mi
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The short version
Elk County is a county of 30,506 people in Pennsylvania. The median age is 48.4, about 9 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $133,600, having risen by half since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 5%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 35,112 in 2000
29,926 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 39 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K 31K 33K 34K 36K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Elk County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,380
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,550 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,174 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.387 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Public administration 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
Education & health services 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$133,600
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$719
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $418 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.4% in 2000
20.5% rent
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.7%(34,643)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(142)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.5%(28,831)
from 4 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 27 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.5%(4,262)
Women 15+
Never married 23.5%(2,974)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 20.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.8% 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) 12%(222)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.4%(266)
Share of the 1,852 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Elk County Head to head
Compare Elk County to nearby counties ELK COUNTY VS
Cameron County
Income $50,573 −24%
Home value $88,900 −33%
Population 4,211 −86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELK COUNTY VS
McKean County
Income $62,905 −5%
Home value $104,500 −22%
Population 38,984 +30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELK COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income $58,686 −12%
Home value $139,700 +5%
Population 43,255 +45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ELK COUNTY VS
Clearfield County
Income $62,152 −6%
Home value $137,000 +3%
Population 78,100 +161%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Elk County, Pennsylvania? Elk County, Pennsylvania has about 30,506 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Elk County, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Elk County, Pennsylvania earns about $66,380 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Elk County, Pennsylvania expensive? In Elk County, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $133,600, and the typical rent is about $719 a month.
How educated are people in Elk County, Pennsylvania? About 20.6% of adults age 25 and over in Elk County, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Elk County, Pennsylvania? About 8.7% of people in Elk County, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Elk County, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Elk County, Pennsylvania has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,372 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.
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