Elk Township field along Martin Road, 2014
Elk Township’s story
190 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
- 1836Elk Township is settled
Elk TownshipPA
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,399
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$141K
Census ACS
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
46.9
years
Jobs based here
187
A commuter town
Is Elk Township a good place to live?
Elk Township’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D for walkability. On hazard risk, just 55 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns do better. 17% of the land in Elk Township is conserved, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 8.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is State Game Lands Number 63, 3,280 acres with 9.4 miles of trail. Elk Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Elk Township stand out
Where Elk Township beats most towns.
Small town
1,399 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Beaver TownshipPaint TownshipPinegrove TownshipAshland TownshipKnox TownshipWashington TownshipElk Township
How Elk Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Elk Township is from typical.
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listA+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $141K, 2.2 years of the county’s $63K median household incomeA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.7 of 20; 0.3% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Jobs & income$55K median household income; 187 jobs based hereC−Open →HealthIndependence Health System Clarion Hospital 8.4 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBeat 59% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors16% conserved landBOpen →HistoryMore history than most townsB+Open →Civic life3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Elk Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elk Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Electric Coop16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPa American Water Co ClarionNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Elk Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClarion County Board of ElectionsClarion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2025
ZIP codes16254, 16232, 1633416254 62% · 16232 21% · 16334 17%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elk Township.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Natural hazards: very low risk in Elk Township, mostly inland flooding
In Elk Township, the FEMA hazard score is 3 of 100. Expected losses in Elk Township break down as 62% from inland flooding and 10% from lightning. Also worth knowing: the national flood insurance program has paid 2 claims here since 2003.
3risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2003
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Elk Township has 0.3 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Only 1% of working residents stay in Elk Township for work; the rest commute out. Elk Township’s average trip to work stands at 28 minutes. The top destinations are Paint Township (12%), Clarion (8%) and Knox (4%). Half of commuters travel less than 16 miles.
1%work in town
| Elk Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Elk Township1%
Paint Township12%
Clarion8%
Knox4%
Cranberry Township4%
16 mi
median commute distance
187
jobs based in Elk Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB
16.5% of the land in Elk Township is protected from building
There are 16 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. Elk Township’s trail density comes in at 0.5 miles per square mile.
16.5%conserved
16.5%
conserved · 3,305 of 20,090 acres
16 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 63 | 9.4 mi | 3,280 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Elk Township
Elk Township’s peak summer temperature is 82°F.
51″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring35–59°
Summer57–80°
Fall41–62°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Elk Township is less healthy than 63% of U.S. towns
Two figures for adults in Elk Township: 15% report frequent physical distress, 37% have high blood pressure. Against the Pennsylvania average, Elk Township comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 26, and behind on 9. 18% of Elk Township adults smoke cigarettes.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Elk Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better16 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Elk Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.5% | 79.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.2% | 7.7% |
Independence Health System Clarion Hospital
8.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elk Township
18pages on Elk Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elk Township; the nearest are
University of Pittsburgh-TitusvilleCommunity college · Public · Titusville25.9 mi$11,918 in-state tuitionSlippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaUniversity or college · Public · Slippery Rock32.6 mi$10,568 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Elk Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Elk Township for work
Where Elk Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
187jobs based in Elk Township
1%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Elk Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Elk Township is a township in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2020 census, a decrease from the figure of 1,490 tabulated in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 32 sq mi
Questions about Elk Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elk Township, PA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.