The Town FilesElk, Wisconsin
Town in Price County · population 960 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $246,200
- Household income
- $70,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 58.6
Elk is a town of 960 people in Price County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $246,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 80% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 79% of Wisconsin towns.
How Elk ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elk is worth $246,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $70,000, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $928 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elk | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $246,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $928 | $951 |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 49.0% | — |
Who lives in Elk
| People | Elk | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Elk
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 0.5°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 20, 1972 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 19, 2019.
Severe weather in Price County since 1996
Price County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| August 16, 1999 | Flood | DR-1284: Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
Jobs and pay in Price County
Price County had 4,876 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,882 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Elk itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Elk
- Phillips, WI5.6 mi · 1,533 people · home $103,300
- Worcester, WI10.8 mi · 1,543 people · home $240,900
- Prentice, WI14.2 mi · 563 people · home $108,800
- Lake, WI17.1 mi · 1,106 people · home $222,300
- Ogema, WI18.3 mi · 727 people · home $129,600
- Park Falls, WI18.4 mi · 2,410 people · home $84,800
- Winter, WI18.8 mi · 1,000 people · home $221,800
- Fifield, WI18.9 mi · 905 people · home $204,500
Elk questions
Is Elk, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elk scores better for retirees than 79% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 97%. 39.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.6).
How much does a house cost in Elk?
The median owner-occupied home in Elk is valued at $246,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,000, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $928 a month.
What is the weather like in Elk?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 0.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 57.3 inches of snow.
Does Elk get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 20, 1972. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)