Elk County, Pennsylvania

Elk County
Elk County Courthouse in Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Elk County Courthouse in Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Flag of Elk County
Official logo of Elk County
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Elk County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°25′N 78°39′W / 41.42°N 78.65°W / 41.42; -78.65
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedApril 18, 1843
Named forEastern elk
SeatRidgway
Largest citySt. Marys
Area
 • Total832 sq mi (2,150 km2)
 • Land827 sq mi (2,140 km2)
 • Water4.9 sq mi (13 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total30,990[1]
 • Density37.5/sq mi (14.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district15th
Websitewww.co.elk.pa.us

Elk County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 30,990.[2] Its county seat is Ridgway.[3] The county was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield, and McKean Counties. Elk County is named for the now-extinct eastern elk (Cervus canadensis) that historically inhabited the region. The county is part of the North Central Pennsylvania region of the state.[a]

The county is notable for having one of the highest concentrations of Roman Catholics in the United States, with 69% of the county's residents identifying as Catholic.

  1. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  2. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Elk County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.


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