City · South Dakota

Elk Point, South Dakota

Elk Point, city, in Union County, South Dakota. Elk Point had 2,080 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,149 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,537 (±247). GEOID 4618620.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

2,080

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,149 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,537 ±247

Median household income

$90,473

±$12,404 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081

Median home value

$248,500

±$20,334 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400

Median gross rent

not published


South Dakota: $946

Where is Elk Point and what county is it in?

Elk Point is a city in Union County, South Dakota. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 1,387 residents per square mile in 2020.

Elk Point is in the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Elk Point (marked with a dot) in Union County, South Dakota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Elk Point, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 2,080 people lived in Elk Point on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, while South Dakota grew 5.5%. The 2020 Census counted 2,149 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,537 (±247).

  • July 2020→2021 −15 (2,129)
  • 2021→2022 −25 (2,104)
  • 2022→2023 −32 (2,072)
  • 2023→2024 −2 (2,070)
  • 2024→2025 +10 (2,080)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Elk PointUnion CountySouth Dakota Change since 2015-2019
Total population 2,537 ±247 17,081 907,428 +361
Households 968 ±115 7,310 365,544 no clear change
Average household size 2.55 ±0.24 2.32 2.39 no clear change
Housing units 1,021 ±118 7,588 408,584 no clear change

Elk Point's population since 2000

From 1,714 in 2000 to 2,080 in 2025: up 21.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Elk Point as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

  • 2000 Census 1,714
  • 2005 (estimate) 1,784
  • 2010 Census 1,963
  • 2015 (estimate) 1,876
  • 2020 Census 2,149
  • 2025 (estimate) 2,080

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Elk Point?

The median resident of Elk Point is 35.5 years old; 29.5% are under 18 and 17.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.5%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Elk PointUnion CountySouth Dakota Change since 2015-2019
Median age 35.5 ±5.4 41.5 38.0 no clear change
Under 18 years 29.5% ±3.8 pts 24.1% 24.2% –
65 years and over 17.7% ±4.6 pts 19.5% 18.0% –
Male 53.1% ±4.2 pts 51.6% 50.8% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.4% ±1.9 pts 4.8% 4.8% –
White alone, not Hispanic 93.1% ±4.2 pts 88.4% 79.8% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.6% ±1.1 pts 0.9% 2.1% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.3% ±0.5 pts 1.1% 1.4% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.4 pts 0.7% 7.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.0 pts 0.1% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 4.5% ±3.8 pts 3.7% 4.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.0 pts 0.2% 0.3% –
Born outside the United States 0.7% ±0.8 pts 2.0% 4.0% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 0.9% ±1.0 pts 3.0% 7.1% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 10.5% ±3.3 pts 7.6% 7.9% –
With a disability 12.5% ±4.6 pts 10.8% 12.5% –
No health insurance coverage 6.3% ±4.7 pts 5.1% 9.0% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 96.3% ±1.9 pts 95.7% 93.2% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 29.4% ±6.6 pts 37.0% 31.9% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 9.3% ±3.5 pts 13.3% 10.0% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 95.2% ±3.9 pts 88.6% 87.0% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.7% ±1.1 pts 4.8% 3.2% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Elk Point earn?

Half of Elk Point's 968 households earn less than $90,473 a year (±$12,404), against $89,636 in Union County and $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $78,764 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Elk PointUnion CountySouth Dakota Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $90,473 ±$12,404 $89,636 $75,081 no clear change
Mean household income $88,950 ±$10,646 $124,814 $98,527 –
Per capita income $35,133 ±$3,878 $53,834 $40,550 no clear change
People below the poverty line 8.5% ±5.4 pts 6.2% 11.9% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 8.6% ±9.8 pts 3.3% 14.3% –
Households receiving SNAP 0.3% ±0.5 pts 4.1% 7.9% –
Households with a computer 89.5% ±6.9 pts 95.0% 94.2% –
Households with a broadband subscription 87.4% ±7.0 pts 89.5% 89.6% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Elk Point?

Owners occupy 78.4% of Elk Point's occupied homes and renters 21.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $248,500 by its owner (±$20,334).

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Elk PointUnion CountySouth Dakota Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $248,500 ±$20,334 $301,100 $257,400 +$62,296
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 34.2% ±29.4 pts 25.3% 30.4% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,606 ±$114 $1,758 $1,680 –
Owner-occupied homes 78.4% ±9.6 pts 73.1% 68.6% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 21.6% ±9.6 pts 26.9% 31.4% –
Housing units 1,021 ±118 7,588 408,584 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 3.1% ±4.6 pts 0.4% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 3.2% ±5.7 pts 1.7% 6.0% –
Single-family detached homes 76.9% ±8.9 pts 72.0% 66.9% –
Mobile homes 3.8% ±5.9 pts 4.2% 7.2% –
Built 2020 or later 1.5% ±2.4 pts 1.2% 2.3% –
Built 2010 to 2019 4.5% ±2.7 pts 16.1% 13.1% –
Built 1939 or earlier 17.5% ±7.5 pts 16.0% 15.8% –
Households with no vehicle 10.1% ±7.1 pts 3.7% 5.2% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Elk Point building?

Builders took permits for 8 new housing units in Elk Point in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 3.8 per 1,000 residents against 5.7 across South Dakota.

  • 2019 4 units
  • 2020 15 units
  • 2021 3 units
  • 2022 5 units
  • 2023 6 units
  • 2024 7 units
  • 2025 8 units

Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Elk Point work and get to work?

80.5% of Elk Point's workers drive alone and 7.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Elk PointUnion CountySouth Dakota Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 71.5% ±6.6 pts 68.4% 67.2% –
Unemployment rate 3.0% ±2.8 pts 3.0% 2.9% –
Drove alone to work 80.5% ±7.8 pts 82.6% 77.0% –
Carpooled 10.3% ±6.5 pts 6.8% 8.3% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±1.9 pts 0.0% 0.5% –
Walked 1.3% ±2.0 pts 1.3% 3.1% –
Worked from home 7.9% ±3.7 pts 7.9% 9.7% –
Mean travel time to work 20.9 min ±2.0 17.7 min 17.8 min no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Elk Point?

No census tract lies mostly in Elk Point; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Elk Point, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Elk Point
Tract 202Union County3,057 $94,637 $237,80031%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Elk Point) · Census block assignment files

How does Elk Point compare with other places in South Dakota?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Elk Point is the 7,548th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 37th-most populous of 310 in South Dakota.

Elk Point ranks 21st of 82 places in South Dakota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Elk Point's rank in South Dakota (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate37th310
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)61st73
Residents per square mile20th84
Median household income21st82
Per capita income56th83
Median home value31st81
Poverty rate40th55
Bachelor's degree or higher34th81
Median age61st83
Owner-occupied share26th84
Work from home23rd44
Travel time to work18th84

Elk Point's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)

Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare Elk Point with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Elk Point?

22 of the 56 figures for Elk Point on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Elk Point are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Elk Point.