The Town FilesElk Creek, Kentucky
Community in Spencer County · population 1,986 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $405,000
- Household income
- $144,100
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 39.3
Elk Creek is a community of 1,986 people in Spencer County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $405,000, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for families than 99% of Kentucky towns, quieter than 89% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 87% of Kentucky towns.
How Elk Creek ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elk Creek is worth $405,000, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $144,100, which is more affordable than 64% of Kentucky towns. 98.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elk Creek | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $405,000 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | — | $837 |
| Median household income | $144,100 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 98.9% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Elk Creek
| People | Elk Creek | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.9% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.8% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 18.8% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Elk Creek
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 22.0°F. About 52.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk Creek since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 28, 1996 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 1.76 inches on May 29, 1982.
Severe weather in Spencer County since 1996
Spencer County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4937: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 23, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4875: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Spencer County
Spencer County had 2,235 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,034 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Elk Creek itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Elk Creek
- Taylorsville, KY5.9 mi · 1,256 people · home $164,200
- Simpsonville, KY7.0 mi · 2,990 people · home $270,800
- Shelbyville, KY9.8 mi · 17,282 people · home $257,100
- Mount Washington, KY11.2 mi · 18,090 people · home $268,200
- Middletown, KY11.9 mi · 9,706 people · home $336,000
- Woodland Hills, KY12.1 mi · 736 people · home $259,800
- Jeffersontown, KY12.4 mi · 28,474 people · home $250,700
- Douglass Hills, KY12.9 mi · 5,456 people · home $346,300
Elk Creek questions
Is Elk Creek, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elk Creek scores better for retirees than 53% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 89%. 12.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Elk Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Elk Creek is valued at $405,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $144,100, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Elk Creek?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 22.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.5 inches of precipitation a year and 10.3 inches of snow.
Does Elk Creek get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 28, 1996. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)