Population 9,639 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Elkins
Household size in Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Elkins is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north. Elkins has smaller households than the great majority of West Virginia 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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.3 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.5 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.3, Elkins 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 39.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.9% of households in Elkins, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Elkins has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of West Virginia cities.
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 Elkins
Renters in Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.7% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Elkins is about as common as it is nationally: 36.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia overall (25.1%). Among homeowners, 60.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Elkins: 16.7% 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. Vacancy has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Elkins 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. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $454 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $589 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $661 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $838 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$384 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Elkins costs $838 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $384 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a bigger share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Elkins
Bachelor's degrees in Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.8% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Elkins than nationally: 26.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged up 1.2 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.3% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Elkins is the same as the national rate: 89.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent. The share with a diploma is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Elkins
| Period | Elkins | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Elkins runs well above the national rate: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only four of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. 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).
Elkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkins | 2.21 | 45.3 | 6.9% | 36.6% | 16.7% | 1963 | $838 | 26.4% | 89.3% | 7.4% |
| Sullivan | 2.16 | 48.3 | 12.6% | 37.7% | 16.4% | 1978 | $1,089 | 30.7% | 90.9% | 13.4% |
| Highland Park | 2.93 | 38.4 | 8.2% | 9.7% | 20.9% | 1958 | $688 | 17.2% | 95.9% | 3.2% |
| Crystal Springs | 1.61 | 60.1 | 2.0% | 29.6% | 9.7% | 1979 | $496 | 28.5% | 83.9% | 0.0% |
| Glenmore | 2.50 | 52.8 | 10.9% | 14.5% | 8.0% | 1988 | $985 | 25.6% | 96.2% | 10.5% |
| Harpertown | 2.40 | 42.0 | 7.4% | 13.1% | 17.9% | 1971 | $726 | 26.5% | 84.8% | 1.2% |
| Midland | 2.72 | 39.5 | 4.8% | 19.1% | 9.4% | 1991 | $735 | 17.9% | 94.9% | 4.9% |
| Canfield | 2.51 | 47.0 | 12.1% | 11.9% | 40.2% | 1976 | $829 | 20.1% | 85.7% | 1.8% |
| Womelsdorf | 2.83 | 46.7 | 27.4% | 15.7% | 3.8% | 1987 | $762 | 15.2% | 83.0% | 12.9% |
| Gilman | 2.86 | 39.6 | 8.0% | 10.3% | 20.7% | 1961 | $696 | 17.4% | 95.2% | 3.3% |
| Weaver | 2.63 | 40.5 | 9.0% | 16.4% | 9.2% | 1989 | $627 | 6.3% | 87.5% | 0.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cuero, TX · Tonganoxie, KS · Topsham, ME · East Greenbush, NY · Des Peres, MO · Denison, IA · DeMotte, IN · Delphos, OH · Cusseta, GA · Toano, VA
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 Elkins. 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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