The Town Files

Elk, New Jersey

Township in Gloucester County · population 4,424 (2020 Census)

Map: where Elk is in New JerseyElk
Median home
$350,400
Household income
$141,382
Jan low / Jul high
25° / 89°
Snow a year
13 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
11
Median age
44.1

Elk is a township of 4,424 people in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $350,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks easier by car than 96% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 84% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 82% of New Jersey towns.

Elk in our rankings:

How Elk ranks

Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.

Elk lifestyle rankings vs other New Jersey townsRetirement44th pctFamilies82nd pctQuiet84th pctWalkability23rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals32nd pctVibrancy4th pctHip & trendy1st pctCollege town18th pctUpscale59th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit53rd pctDriving96th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Elk is worth $350,400, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $141,382, which is more affordable than 96% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,206 a month. 88.7% of households own their home.

Elk vs Gloucester County vs typical New Jersey townElkGloucester CountyTypical New Jersey townHome value$350,400$310,400$435,600Household income$141,382$105,115$111,891Monthly rent$1,206$1,531$1,774
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Jersey towns with 500+ people.
HousingElkTypical New Jersey town
Median home value$350,400$435,600
Median rent$1,206$1,774
Median household income$141,382$111,891
Home value ÷ income2.5×3.8×
Homeownership88.7%80.8%
Median year built19851969
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Elk

PeopleElkTypical New Jersey town
Median age44.142.7
Age 65 and over13.1%18.3%
Under 1825.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher37.6%44.1%
Below the poverty line3.9%5.7%
Veterans7.3%—
Born outside the U.S.2.5%—
Work from home8.3%16.3%
Average commute28.0 min30.4 min
Homes with broadband94.1%94.6%

Weather in Elk

July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 25.4°F. About 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.3 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.

Elk monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing43°25°Jan47°26°Feb55°33°Mar67°42°Apr76°51°May84°61°Jun89°66°Jul86°64°Aug80°58°Sep69°47°Oct57°37°Nov48°30°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.15.03.15.03.91.43.20.23.24.55.14.64.23.93.40.14.41.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Woodstown Pittsgrov 4E station (8.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on September 1, 2021 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Elk by decade01950s11960s11970s41980s11990s02000s12010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 24, 1999.

Severe weather in Gloucester County since 1996

Storm events in Gloucester County since 1996 by typeHail41Heat61Drought40Dense Fog35High Wind37Heavy Rain61Flash Flood83Strong Wind95
NOAA Storm Events Database, Gloucester County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 9 deaths recorded.

Gloucester County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 5, 2021HurricaneDR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
September 2, 2021HurricaneEM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
December 11, 2020HurricaneDR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias
March 25, 2020BiologicalDR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3451: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Gloucester County

Gloucester County had 124,439 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,070 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Elk itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.

Largest industries in Gloucester CountyRetail18,188 jobs · $42,295Health care & social assistan…17,779 jobs · $58,067Transportation & warehousing13,888 jobs · $50,341Hotels & restaurants10,178 jobs · $24,964Manufacturing9,032 jobs · $76,617Wholesale trade7,588 jobs · $78,170
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Gloucester County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Gloucester 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Elk

Elk questions

Is Elk, New Jersey a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elk scores better for retirees than 44% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 84%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).

How much does a house cost in Elk?

The median owner-occupied home in Elk is valued at $350,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $141,382, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,206 a month.

What is the weather like in Elk?

July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 25.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.6 inches of precipitation a year and 13.3 inches of snow.

Does Elk get tornadoes?

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on September 1, 2021. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Elk's Census boundary (GEOID 3401521060). Comparisons use the median of New Jersey towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.