Population 30,506 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elk County
Household size in Elk County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Elk County is a place of small households, averaging 2.29 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.33, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.7 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.0 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.0, Elk County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only six are older.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Elk County (9.5%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 County
Renters in Elk County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.1% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.5% of households in Elk County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 59.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Elk County has a lower share of renters than the great majority of Pennsylvania counties.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.5% of the housing in Elk County, 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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Elk County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the west.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $534 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $577 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $594 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $733 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$199 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Elk County pays $733 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $199 a month from 2006–10, a 37% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. No other Pennsylvania county has lower rents.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Elk County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Elk County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.0 points, as it has nationally.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.4% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Elk County is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Elk County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Pennsylvania counties.
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 County
| Period | Elk County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Elk County is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County | 2.29 | 48.0 | 9.5% | 20.5% | 15.5% | 1963 | $733 | 21.2% | 94.2% | 5.5% |
| Cameron County | 1.99 | 52.7 | 11.8% | 27.6% | 29.3% | 1958 | $766 | 12.8% | 92.2% | 7.9% |
| Forest County | 2.19 | 51.1 | 3.9% | 21.7% | 70.0% | 1970 | $781 | 13.0% | 85.6% | 2.3% |
| Venango County | 2.29 | 47.6 | 10.6% | 24.7% | 16.8% | 1960 | $838 | 18.7% | 91.4% | 5.6% |
| Sullivan County | 2.19 | 56.0 | 5.5% | 15.1% | 51.6% | 1972 | $846 | 22.1% | 92.6% | 6.0% |
| Geauga County | 2.76 | 44.6 | 5.7% | 12.8% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,361 | 40.7% | 90.2% | 2.9% |
| Wyoming County | 2.34 | 45.4 | 8.7% | 22.1% | 15.0% | 1970 | $956 | 22.3% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Lackawanna County | 2.40 | 42.6 | 12.5% | 34.6% | 11.9% | 1957 | $1,067 | 30.8% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
| Cuyahoga County | 2.30 | 41.7 | 13.2% | 40.6% | 9.7% | 1959 | $1,234 | 36.9% | 91.4% | 6.9% |
| Wayne County | 2.35 | 49.3 | 9.3% | 19.5% | 28.3% | 1977 | $1,056 | 24.3% | 92.4% | 5.8% |
| Lorain County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 10.7% | 26.0% | 6.8% | 1976 | $1,190 | 29.3% | 91.8% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Dyer County, TN · Del Norte County, CA · Delaware County, OK · Delta County, CO · Delta County, MI · Des Moines County, IA · Wayne County, GA · Dickinson County, MI · Dillon County, SC · Waushara County, WI
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 County. 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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