Elk River, Idaho Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 124, Elk River's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Elk River is a small community located in Idaho, within Clearwater County. The total population is 124. It ranks as the 208th most populous out of 232 Census-designated places in Idaho.

Age Demographics

The median age in Elk River is 59.8 years. This is 60% higher than the state median of 37.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Elk River is $54,904. This is 29% lower than the state median of $77,800. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.6%. This is 113% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Elk River, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $225,000. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $418,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 72.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Elk River has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.4% of all residents.

Education

10.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 66% lower than the state rate of 31.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Elk River, Idaho is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Idaho state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 232 Census-designated places in Idaho. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.