Elkhart Tower, 2008
Elkhart’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 118 in 1860, 450 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1911 on.
- 1855Elkhart is settled
ElkhartIL
A town of 437, settled in 1855.
Population
437
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$147K
+10.3% in a year
Household income
$109K
median
Median age
45.4
years
Jobs based here
38
A commuter town
Is Elkhart a good place to live?
Elkhart’s middle household income is $109,000, where Illinois’ towns sit at $83,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. Elkhart has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
437 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Elkhart: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elkhart, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterElkhart water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Elkhart’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLogan County ClerkLogan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP code6263462634 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elkhart.
Housing
A home in Elkhart is worth about $147K, on Zillow’s estimate
The share of households in Elkhart who own their home: 81%. In Elkhart, the rent at the middle of the market is $839 a month, below both Illinois’ towns ($1,129 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026.
$147KZillow home value
| Elkhart | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $839 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 81% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Elkhart$147K
Illinois$296K
+10.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Elkhart stands out in Illinois and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
In Elkhart, 4.9% of residents live below the poverty line. Half of commuters travel less than 28 miles. The top destinations are Lincoln (16%), Springfield (16%) and Chicago (4%).
1%work in town
| Elkhart | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Elkhart1%
Lincoln16%
Springfield16%
Chicago4%
West Lincoln Township4%
28 mi
median commute distance
38
jobs based in Elkhart
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Elkhart than in Illinois
Adults 18 to 34 are 12% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (39% statewide). Elkhart’s median age comes in at 45.4 years. Four-year graduates: 29% of adults 25 and older here, 38% across Illinois. Since 2020, Elkhart has lost 2.9% of its people, to 437 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
45.4median age · IL 39
| Elkhart | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 29% | 29% | 29% |
ElkhartIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school34%
Some college19%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
58% women, 42% men
About 72 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6.1 points). Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Elkhart | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.4% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.4% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 19.9% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.6% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.6% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.7% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.1% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.9% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.1% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.6% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Elkhart
A winter brings about 19 inches of snow, with January nights at 18° and July afternoons at 86°.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–38°
Spring42–64°
Summer63–84°
Fall44–66°
Oct 16
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Elkhart is
For adults in Elkhart, the share who feel lonely is 34%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Elkhart beats Illinois on 3 and trails on 4.
| Elkhart | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better25 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Elkhart | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.7% | 10.3% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.4% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.2% | 6.3% |
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
10.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Elkhart has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Elkhart households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2006. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in 56% of U.S. communities. Just over a third of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 17%.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
1.6% of the land in Elkhart is protected from building
Parks and preserves in Elkhart: one, of 2 acres.
1.6%conserved
1.6%
conserved · 19 of 1,200 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elkhart Community Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 26 attractions →Lincoln Tomb and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Elkhart. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi LandmarkLincoln Tomb
17 mi National Historic SiteLincoln Home National Historic Site124K visitors a year
20 mi MuseumLincoln's New Salem17 mi National MonumentSpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
17 mi MuseumOld State Capitol State Historic Site
18 mi MuseumIllinois State MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lincoln Tomb: David Jones, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Lincoln Home National Historic Site: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lincoln's New Salem: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Old State Capitol State Historic Site: Shadow2700 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Illinois State Museum: Mike Linksvayer from Oakland, California, CC0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elkhart
18pages on Elkhart
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elkhart; the nearest are
St. John's College-Department of NursingUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Springfield16.8 miUniversity of Illinois SpringfieldUniversity or college · Public · Springfield20.9 mi$12,252 in-state tuitionLincoln Land Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Springfield21.3 mi$3,744 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Elkhart residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Elkhart for work
Where Elkhart’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
38jobs based in Elkhart
1%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Elkhart
Village in Illinois, United States
Elkhart is a village in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 450 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1855
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 596 ft
- ZIP code
- 62634
Questions about Elkhart
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elkhart, IL a good place to live?
Elkhart has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Elkhart, IL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Jake Stahl and Tommy Thompson.