Elko spent less per resident in 2022 than 84% of similar cities
Elko’s town government spent $31,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $172 per resident.
What stands out about how Elko is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$172 per resident in 2022: less than 84% of them
Elko’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($172 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 73 South Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $531, and the middle half spent $239–$923. Elko spent less than 84% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
South Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Elko itself left out).
About $172 per resident a year, or $0.47 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 100%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Elko reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $640 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.75% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Elko’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Elko’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Elko →
Who’s in charge in Elko
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Barnwell County School District
Elko’s K–12 school district, shared with Barnwell, Blackville, Hilda, Kline, Snelling and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,344 per pupil, $7,913 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
South Carolina districts overall: 45% local, 43% state, 13% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Elko’s votes are counted by county
South Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Elko alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Barnwell County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican57.2%5,605 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat41.6%4,082 votesOthers: 1.2% (116 votes).
Most votes in Barnwell County: Donald J Trump
South Carolina: Trump 58.2%, Harris 40.4%
100% of Elko lies in Barnwell County. Every 2024 race in Barnwell County is on the county’s page.
Barnwell County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Elko.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2South Carolina HouseState representatives
- 3South Carolina SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Carolina
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Elko’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Elko’s government
How much does Elko spend per resident?
About $172 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $172 was less than 84% of 73 South Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Elko?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $640 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.75% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Elko’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Elko yet.
How did Elko vote in 2024?
South Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Elko alone. Barnwell County, where 100% of Elko lies, voted Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Elko?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1,785 (about $21,420 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Elko in the state legislature?
State Senate District 40 (Brad Hutto) and State House District 91 (Lonnie Hosey). The House district also covers 15 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Elko’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →