Bennett, Miles, 2016
Elkhart’s story
152 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1874Elkhart is settled
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,265
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Typical home
$264K
+6.5% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
37.1
years
Jobs based here
754
A job hub
Is Elkhart a good place to live?
The best of Elkhart’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. 28% of residents live below the poverty line in Elkhart, above both Texas’ towns (12%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On cost of living, just 50 of Texas’ 998 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. Elkhart has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Elkhart stand out
Where Elkhart beats most towns.
Typical home value
Elkhart$264K
Texas$296K
Cost of livingA+
4.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 96% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
ELKHART ISD schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Elkhart El | PK–2 | 353 |
| Elkhart Int | 3–5 | 246 |
| Elkhart Middle | 6–8 | 283 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Small town
1,265 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Elkhart grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Elkhart is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income$53K median household incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.1 of 20; 4.4% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →HealthPalestine Regional Medical Center 7.6 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 95° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.1; 9% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades 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.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Elkhart water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAnderson County Early Voting ClerkAnderson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7583975839 100%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 Elkhart.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Elkhart has 1.7 jobs for every working resident, and 712 people commute in
Most working residents leave Elkhart for work: only 10% work in town. At 30 minutes, Elkhart’s average trip to work is above both the Texas town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in Elkhart grew to 754 in 2023, 329 more than in 2013.
10%work in town
| Elkhart | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Elkhart10%
Palestine18%
Tyler5%
Dallas5%
Grapeland4%
53 mi
median commute distance
754
jobs based in Elkhart
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 8% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA−
Elkhart’s public schools outperform 75% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Elkhart ISD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
75%of TX districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 353 | – |
| Elkhart IntTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 246 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Elkhart
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Elkhart
Elkhart has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Elkhart is 94°F.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–61°
Spring55–77°
Summer72–93°
Fall56–79°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 23
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Health in Elkhart trails 62% of U.S. towns
Elkhart beats the Texas average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 13% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Elkhart.
38%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Elkhart | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 74% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Texas
5 better20 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Elkhart | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 12.7% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 15.9% | 19.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.7% | 5.7% |
Palestine Regional Medical Center
7.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A+
A typical Elkhart home is worth about $264K
The typical Elkhart home is worth about $264,000, up 6.5% in a year, 11% below the Texas typical home.
$264KZillow home value
Typical home value
Elkhart$264K
Texas$296K
+6.5%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
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
Jacksonville CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Jacksonville29 mi$8,850 tuitionThe University of Texas at TylerUniversity or college · Public · Tyler51 mi$9,736 in-state tuitionAngelina CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lufkin55.4 mi$3,430 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Elkhart residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
A job hub
Every workday, about 712 people come to Elkhart for work
Where Elkhart’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
754jobs based in Elkhart
10%of working residents work in town
53 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Elkhart
Town in Texas, United States
Elkhart is a town in the U.S. state of Texas, in Anderson County. Elkhart's population was estimated at 1,250 in March 2024.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 384 ft
- ZIP code
- 75839
- Area code
- 903
Questions about Elkhart
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elkhart, TX 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+.