Population 9,392 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elkin
Household size in Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.49 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.46 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Elkin is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 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 dropped from 2.39, a much bigger shift than nationally. Elkin has smaller households than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 39.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.8 | 40.2 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.1 | 41.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.8 | 41.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.4 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Elkin skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 11.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Elkin as they are nationally: 12.1%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.2 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Elkin
Renters in Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.7% | 29.2% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 31.4% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.4% | 33.2% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.0% | 30.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Elkin own their homes; 28.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (49.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.7 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 11.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 11.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 11.4% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.8% | 9.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Elkin: 13.8% 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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1980 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1980 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1982 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1985 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Elkin is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest. Only five of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $559 | $700 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $723 | $751 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $674 | $830 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $738 | $1,102 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$179 | +$403 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Elkin pays $738 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $179 a month since 2006–10, up 32%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Elkin
Bachelor's degrees in Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 25.2% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 25.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 27.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 31.2% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +6.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Elkin: 21.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.4% | 83.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.0% | 84.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.0% | 87.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.1% | 89.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in Elkin never finished high school, well above the national share: only 84.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 8.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Elkin has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
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 Elkin
| Period | Elkin | Winston-Salem area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.3% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.5 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Elkin runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Elkin compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkin | 2.28 | 46.8 | 12.1% | 28.0% | 13.8% | 1971 | $738 | 21.2% | 84.1% | 4.5% |
| State Road | 2.27 | 50.2 | 9.0% | 23.2% | 11.2% | 1980 | $786 | 26.8% | 85.9% | 3.1% |
| Jonesville | 2.37 | 44.9 | 11.4% | 38.2% | 14.3% | 1972 | $735 | 15.1% | 82.0% | 5.3% |
| Zephyr | 2.13 | 48.7 | 12.4% | 30.3% | 12.8% | 1984 | $830 | 21.7% | 74.0% | 2.6% |
| Burch | 2.51 | 41.5 | 17.0% | 21.6% | 8.9% | 1983 | $805 | 10.9% | 73.7% | 6.2% |
| Ronda | 2.66 | 46.9 | 11.6% | 22.0% | 14.2% | 1977 | $768 | 17.1% | 82.2% | 3.5% |
| Thurmond | 2.41 | 42.6 | 7.8% | 15.0% | 16.2% | 1992 | $809 | 22.7% | 91.6% | 1.0% |
| Longtown | 2.37 | 43.8 | 5.4% | 31.4% | 9.1% | 1978 | $872 | 24.5% | 89.2% | 0.0% |
| Roaring River | 2.50 | 44.8 | 16.4% | 26.3% | 13.3% | 1978 | $734 | 11.1% | 75.6% | 6.7% |
| Dobson | 2.55 | 39.1 | 15.6% | 23.0% | 11.3% | 1986 | $670 | 16.2% | 78.4% | 5.2% |
| Traphill | 2.48 | 42.4 | 17.1% | 26.6% | 13.1% | 1984 | $668 | 6.2% | 69.9% | 13.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cut Off, LA · Deer Park, WA · Dayton, NJ · Dardanelle, AR · Whitinsville, MA · Dallastown, PA · Dalhart, TX · Dagsboro, DE · D'Iberville, MS · Delano, 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 Elkin. 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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