Elk Garden, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 212, Elk Garden'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 Garden is a small community located in West Virginia, within Mineral County. The total population is 212. It ranks as the 330th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Elk Garden is 26.7 years. This is 37% lower than the state median of 42.7 years. With 42.4% of the population under 18, Elk Garden has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Elk Garden is $61,250. This is 3% higher than the state median of $59,608. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.3%. This is 80% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $91,000. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Elk Garden is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Elk Garden was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

3.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 85% lower than the state rate of 24.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Elk Garden, West Virginia 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 West Virginia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.