Elk County, Pennsylvania
Elk County, Pennsylvania | |
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Elk County Courthouse in Ridgway, Pennsylvania | |
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Flag Logo | |
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates: 41°25′N 78°39′W / 41.42°N 78.65°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Founded | April 18, 1843 |
| Named after | Eastern elk |
| Seat | Ridgway |
| Largest city | St. Marys |
| Area | |
• Total | 832 sq mi (2,150 km2) |
| • Land | 827 sq mi (2,140 km2) |
| • Water | 4.9 sq mi (13 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,990 |
• Estimate (2024) | 30,124 |
| • Density | 37.5/sq mi (14.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
| Website | countyofelkpa |
Elk County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 30,990. Its county seat is Ridgway. 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 region of the commonwealth.
The county is notable for having one of the highest concentrations of Catholics in the United States, with 69% of the county's residents identifying as Catholic.