Census place 2718674

Elk River

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Elk River city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Elk River.

According to the 2025 estimate, Elk River has a population of 27,896 and 659 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 103 covered Minnesota places are: population density is 659/sq mi, below the comparison median of 1,941/sq mi; typical commute is 27.4 minutes, above the comparison median of 22 minutes; and median household income is $108,741, above the comparison median of $89,389. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
659/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 1,941/sq mi
typical commute
27.4 minutes
Above the comparison median of 22 minutes
median household income
$108,741
Above the comparison median of $89,389

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Elk River's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
27,896
2025 estimate
Annual change
+1%
Population estimate
Density
659/sq mi
42.3 sq mi land area
Median age
37.2 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$108,741
Median home value
$370,100
Median gross rent
$1,283
Bachelor’s degree or higher
33.8%
Typical commute
27.4 min
Drive-alone commute
76.2%
Public transit commute
1.3%
Walked to work
0.3%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
20.8%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
39.9%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
71.4%
Unemployed residents 16+
1.1%
Working from home
15.8%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
92.7%
Homes built 2020+
5.7%
Households without a vehicle
3.5%
Households with children
37.4%
Residents with a disability
10.4%
Residents without insurance
2.1%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Sherburne County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
1
Hurricane declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: MINNEAPOLIS CRYSTAL AP (21 mi from place center)
Average high
55.5°F
Average low
36.1°F
Annual rainfall
30.7"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Elk River.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

St. Michael, MN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
22,498
Median home
$390,100

Forest Lake, MN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
20,952
Median home
$393,500

Otsego, MN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
24,525
Median home
$396,700

Keep exploring

Compare Elk River with St. Michael