Elk County

PennsylvaniaPopulation: 30,886
76
/100
Strong Buy
#370 of 3,073 counties
#5 in Pennsylvania (67 counties)
Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring
Updated September 21, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$143,711
Median Home Price
39% below the median US county
$8,486/mo
Est. Rent
Based on regional data
5.90%
Annual Rent-to-Price Ratio
Estimated from price data
+$0
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 7.4% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
76/100
76
Cash Flow(30%)
0/100

Rent data not available for cash flow calculation.

Appreciation(25%)
77/100

Based on 15.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)
99/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Strong price appreciation (+15.9% YoY)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes

Challenges

  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 0.0% < mortgage rate 7.4%)
  • -Limited rent data (estimates used)

Economic Indicators

Population
30,886
Median Income
—
Data pending
Unemployment Rate
—
Data pending
Price-to-Income
—
Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for
  • +Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
Skip if
  • −You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Pennsylvania counties with similar scores

CountyVerdict
ClearfieldPA
77$144,352$9688.05%Strong BuyView
SomersetPA
77$180,049Est. pending—Strong BuyView
PotterPA
77$165,502Est. pending—Strong BuyView
CurrentElkPA
76$143,711Est. pending—Strong Buy
SchuylkillPA
75$179,851$1,1477.65%Strong BuyView
FultonPA
75$244,700Est. pending—Strong BuyView

Section 8 in Elk County: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyElk is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Elk County in Pennsylvania scores 76/100, ranking #370 of 3,073 US counties (top 12%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow. The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow
+$0/mo
Cap Rate
0.0%
Cash-on-Cash
0.0%

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