Elk City, KS Demographics

Population 589 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Elk City, KS map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Elk City

Household size in Elk City

Household size, people per household
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–102.642.542.68
2010–142.482.582.73
2015–192.462.562.71
2020–242.112.532.65
Change−0.53−0.01−0.03
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Elk City is a place of small households, averaging 2.11 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.64 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).

Median age in Elk City

Median age, years
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–1038.637.437.7
2010–1447.737.838.6
2015–1944.638.539.6
2020–2452.338.840.1
Change+13.7+1.4+2.3
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Elk City skews older: half of its residents are older than 52.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.

Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).

Single-parent households in Elk City

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–105.0%10.8%12.3%
2010–148.4%10.9%12.3%
2015–195.1%10.4%11.6%
2020–244.6%10.5%11.6%
Change−0.4 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Elk City: 4.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.

Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).

Housing in Elk City

Renters in Elk City

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–1017.8%30.6%33.3%
2010–1416.6%32.9%35.6%
2015–1911.7%33.7%36.0%
2020–2416.6%32.8%34.8%
Change−1.1 pts+2.3 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 16.6% of households in Elk City rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 38.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally.

Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).

Vacant homes in Elk City

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–1016.2%10.1%11.4%
2010–1425.9%10.4%11.4%
2015–1934.4%11.3%11.1%
2020–2421.3%9.7%9.6%
Change+5.1 pts−0.4 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Elk City: 21.3% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).

Age of homes in Elk City

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–10195919711974
2010–14195619721975
2015–19196319731977
2020–24197719761980
Change+18+5+6
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Homes in Elk City are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally.

Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).

Rent in Elk City

Rent, per month
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–10$640$769$965
2010–14$664$858$1,040
2015–19$698$950$1,213
2020–24$700$1,159$1,571
Change+$60+$390+$606
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Rent in Elk City runs $700 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 23.3% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.

Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).

Education in Elk City

Bachelor's degrees in Elk City

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–1013.1%30.8%28.4%
2010–1414.2%31.7%29.6%
2015–1915.1%33.6%32.1%
2020–2432.7%35.6%35.6%
Change+19.6 pts+4.8 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are about as common in Elk City as nationally: 32.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.

Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

High school graduates in Elk City

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–1088.4%89.5%84.9%
2010–1488.5%90.0%86.1%
2015–1993.5%90.8%87.7%
2020–2491.8%91.7%89.3%
Change+3.5 pts+2.2 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Elk City is a bit above the national rate: 91.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Kansas.

High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

Jobs in Elk City

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodElk CityKansasU.S.
2006–105.1%6.1%8.1%
2010–148.5%6.7%9.4%
2015–193.6%4.1%5.6%
2020–246.9%4.0%5.4%
Change+1.8 pts−2.1 pts−2.7 pts
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Jobs have been harder to find in Elk City than nationally: unemployment was 6.9%, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.

Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).

Elk City compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Elk City2.1152.34.6%16.6%21.3%1977$70032.7%91.8%6.9%
Oak Valley2.4354.65.2%8.6%30.9%1963$55217.7%93.1%2.5%
Lehunt2.5245.84.2%17.7%13.5%1978$89536.7%96.4%6.7%
Wayside3.0939.815.6%8.2%30.9%1973$74226.7%91.6%9.4%
Longton2.4453.04.9%10.3%32.2%1964$58917.8%92.1%2.4%
Independence2.3239.38.9%28.3%15.2%1958$82528.0%92.8%6.1%
Sycamore2.3445.84.5%24.0%15.8%1980$91930.7%95.1%6.4%
Fruitland2.3647.66.3%28.1%14.1%1964$77429.5%90.7%3.1%
Monett2.4046.810.1%16.1%24.7%1969$85616.3%89.1%2.3%
Grafton2.3947.78.3%12.5%26.0%1972$90116.1%88.3%2.8%
Jefferson2.6051.75.1%5.5%19.0%1975$56417.9%91.8%1.5%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Oceanside, WA · Plum Orchard, WV · Platter, OK · Pipersville, WI · Pine Hill, KY · Patricksburg, IN · Paradise, MT · Oskar, MI · Osceola, WA · Opole, MN

About these numbers

Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Elk City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.

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