Elk County is a county in Kansas, United States, on the Flint Hills’ eastern edge along the Elk River. It had a population of 2,483 at the 2020 census and covers 650 square miles (1,700 km2) centred near 37°27′N 96°12′W.
Howard is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 67349. The county has 5 incorporated cities, 2 recognized unincorporated communities, and 10 civil townships. Elk County sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 20049.
Towns & Villages in Elk County
Elk County has 5 incorporated cities and a handful of small unincorporated places scattered across its ranchland townships. CDP denotes a Census-designated place; Unincorp. marks a community with no city government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard | City · seat | Howard | 1,006 | 67349 |
| Longton | City | Longton | 530 | 67352 |
| Moline | City | Wildcat | — | 67353 |
| Grenola | City | Greenfield | — | 67346 |
| Elk Falls | City | Elk Falls | 196 | 67345 |
| Busby | Unincorp. | Union Center | — | — |
| Oak Valley | Unincorp. | Oak Valley | — | — |
Three names from older place lists — Cave Springs, Fiat and Upola — are historical rural post-office or crossroads names with no confirmed current population and are omitted here pending verification.
Townships
Elk County is divided into 10 civil townships, which double as the county’s rural election and road-maintenance districts. Population figures by individual township were not verified for this update and are omitted rather than guessed.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Howard | — | Howard |
| Wildcat | — | Moline |
| Longton | — | Longton |
| Greenfield | — | Grenola |
| Elk Falls | — | Elk Falls |
| Union Center | — | Busby |
| Oak Valley | — | Oak Valley |
| Liberty | — | — |
| Painterhood | — | — |
| Paw Paw | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 67349 — Howard (also serves Union Center and Liberty townships)
- 67352 — Longton (also serves Painterhood township)
- 67353 — Moline (also serves Wildcat and Paw Paw townships)
- 67346 — Grenola
- 67345 — Elk Falls
Busby and Oak Valley have no post office of their own and are served by the ZIP code of their nearest incorporated city.
Geography
Elk County lies in the Flint Hills, a belt of tallgrass prairie over shallow limestone that resisted the plow and stayed in cattle pasture. The Elk River, for which the county is named, cuts through the county from northwest to southeast and feeds Elk City Lake downstream in Montgomery County. Elk County is one of the least populous counties in Kansas and remains a dry county under state alcohol law.
Elk County borders Greenwood County to the north, Wilson County to the east, Montgomery County to the southeast, Chautauqua County to the south, Cowley County to the southwest, and Butler County to the northwest.
Demographics
Elk County had a population of 2,483 at the 2020 census, down from earlier decades as young residents left for larger Kansas cities. Howard (1,006) and Longton (530) are the two largest communities, together holding well over half the county’s population. Elk County’s median household income runs well below the Kansas median of $70,333, consistent with its cattle-ranching, low-wage-density economic base. Population density is about 3.9 people per square mile, among the lowest of any Kansas county.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and hay production dominate the local economy, with the Flint Hills’ rocky, thin soil favoring grazing over row crops. Grain elevators and small farm-service businesses cluster in Howard and Longton. Elk County government and USD 283 (Elk Valley) schools are among the largest local employers. Sunflower gas fields and a scatter of oil and gas leases supplement farm income across the county.
History
Elk County was organized on March 25, 1875, split from an earlier, larger Howard County after a dispute over which town — Howard or Longton — would hold the county seat; the divided territory became Elk and Chautauqua counties. The county takes its name from the Elk River. The first railroad reached Elk County in 1879, linking area cattle ranches and farms to eastern markets and setting off Howard’s early growth as a shipping point.
Getting There
U.S. Route 160 crosses the county east–west through Longton and Moline, and K-99 and K-160 provide the main north–south and local links to Howard.
- Independence, Kansas — 25 miles southeast
- El Dorado, Kansas — 35 miles northwest
- Wichita, Kansas — 75 miles west
- Coffeyville, Kansas — 45 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT), about 75 miles west of Howard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Elk County?
Elk County is in southeastern Kansas, in the Flint Hills, along the Elk River.
What is the population of Elk County?
Elk County had a population of 2,483 at the 2020 census.
How big is Elk County?
Elk County covers 650 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 644 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Elk County?
Howard is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Elk County?
Elk County has 5 incorporated cities — Howard, Longton, Moline, Grenola and Elk Falls — plus the unincorporated communities of Busby and Oak Valley.
What ZIP codes are in Elk County?
Elk County’s ZIP codes are 67349 (Howard), 67352 (Longton), 67353 (Moline), 67346 (Grenola) and 67345 (Elk Falls).
Why is Elk County a dry county?
Elk County has maintained alcohol prohibition under Kansas’s county-option liquor law since statewide prohibition ended, one of a shrinking number of Kansas counties to do so.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.