City profile · Idaho · Census ACS 2023

Elk, ID

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Elk - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

270
Residents
$59,643
Median income
$356,700
Median home
$1,049
Median rent (state)

Elk - the verdict

Nationally, Elk sits in the 35th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

35th
percentile, household income
73rd
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Elk, ID

Idaho's Elk is a small town, with 270 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Elk households earn a median of $59,643 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Elk are valued around $356,700, and the median resident age is 40.4 years. 9.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 19.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Idaho run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Idaho at 95.5 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,049 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $170 across Idaho, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

270 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Idaho

Median Household Income

$59,643 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

95.5 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Idaho average

How does Elk compare to other US cities?

Where Elk sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 73% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Elk against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Idaho only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Idaho-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Elk near the bottom of Idaho's cities

Among the 215 Idaho cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Elk ranks #187 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Elk only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#116 of 206
44th percentile in Idaho
Median Gross Rent
#144 of 215
33rd percentile in Idaho
Median Home Value
#38 of 204
81st percentile in Idaho
Poverty Rate
#187 of 215
0th percentile in Idaho
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#186 of 215
13th percentile in Idaho

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Idaho only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

35thIncome percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Elk's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$356,700 27th percentile more affordable than 27% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Elk $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Elk, ID Elk, ID's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Elk, ID-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Elk, ID median $59,643/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Elk, ID's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Elk, ID. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 9.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 19.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
270
Median Income
$59,643
Median Home Value
$356,700
Median Age
40.4
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
19.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
9.0%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.7%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
16.3%

Based on 43 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Idaho - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$170
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Idaho state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Idaho state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Elk sits in

Cost of Living Index
95.5
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,049/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Idaho

Swan Valley
264 people
Stanley
281 people
Hammett
258 people
Bloomington
257 people
East Hope
257 people
Irwin
253 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Elk's 270 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mount Carmel, FL
270 people
Kampsville, IL
270 people
Spillertown, IL
270 people
Fulton, IN
270 people
Monterey, IN
270 people
Corwith, IA
270 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Elk's $59,643 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Astor, FL
$59,643 median income
Macedonia, IA
$59,643 median income
Bridgeport, NE
$59,643 median income
Greasy, OK
$59,643 median income
Uniontown, WA
$59,643 median income
Sprague, WV
$59,643 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Elk, ID Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Elk, ID - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.0% 7.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.6% White 90.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 7.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Elk compares to nearby Idaho cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Elk (this city) 270 $59,643
Swan Valley 264 $92,750
Stanley 281 N/A
Hammett 258 $27,482
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ID OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Elk, ID?

What is the population of Elk, ID? +

The population of Elk, ID stands at 270 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Elk, ID? +

Median annual household income in Elk runs $59,643, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Elk? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Elk; the closest available measure is the Idaho state average, a cost of living index of 95.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Idaho vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Elk, ID? +

The median home value in Elk is $356,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.