Elk County, Kansas Income Statistics
Elk County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Elk County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,925 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,866 | $56,052 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.4% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.7% | 11.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Elk County is about 17% lower than in Kansas. Income has been growing faster in Elk County (6.4%/yr) than in Kansas (4.1%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Elk County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kansas average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Elk County, Kansas grew by 94.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,925 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Elk County
| Metric | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.521 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,063 | $65,134 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,999 | $51,314 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.4% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Elk County, it is 0.521, about the same as Kansas's 0.525, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 17% more than women's income in Elk County, Kansas. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $282,240 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elk County, Kansas has narrowed from about 26% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2019, and was narrowest at 3% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,425 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.0% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.2% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 17 | 22 |
Approximately 21 people are unemployed in Elk County, Kansas.
The average commute time in Elk County is 21 minutes, longer than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Elk County, Kansas has fallen from 7.8% to 2.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.7% in 2012.
Elk County, KS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Elk County, KS is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,453 residents against a local median of 8,505. Where Elk County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 49% above the local median of 4.3%/yr at 6.4%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 2.0% against a local median of 3.6%, 44% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Elk County, KS is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 2.3%/yr on income growth, so Elk County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Elk County, KS has the highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County, KS | 2,453 | $61,925 #1/6 | 6.4%/yr #1/6 | 2.0% #1/6 | 0.521 #5/6 |
| Chautauqua County, KS | 3,370 | $56,474 | 5.2%/yr | 3.6% | 0.508 |
| Greenwood County, KS | 5,919 | $60,070 | 5.4%/yr | 3.4% | 0.485 |
| Wilson County, KS | 8,505 | $60,836 | 4.3%/yr | 3.0% | 0.517 |
| Montgomery County, KS | 30,940 | $56,995 | 3.8%/yr | 4.3% | 0.520 |
| Cowley County, KS | 34,411 | $57,252 | 3.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.528 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Elk County, Kansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Kansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Elk County, Kansas.
How Wealthy Is Elk County, Kansas?
Elk County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $61,925, about 17% lower than the Kansas average of $74,287.
How has median household income changed in Elk County, Kansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Elk County, Kansas rose 95%, from $31,837 to $61,925. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kansas as a whole: +95% against +53%.
What was the median household income in Elk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Elk County, Kansas was $56,865, up 14% from $50,000 in 2022. The Kansas median that year was $72,660.
What was the median household income in Elk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Elk County, Kansas was $42,564. By 2024 it had risen 45% to $61,925.
How strong is the job market in Elk County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Elk County, Kansas is only 2.0%, well below the Kansas rate of 3.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Elk County, Kansas?
The Gini coefficient in Elk County is 0.521. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Elk County, Kansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elk County, Kansas has narrowed from about 26% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2019, and was narrowest at 3% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,425 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →