Highland township, Elk County, PA

Township in Elk County, PA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

339

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

48.3

years ∙ half population younger than 48.3, half older

Diversity Index

12.4%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.6%

foreign-born population

99.4%Native

0.6% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Highland township, Elk County is a township in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Location

Township in Elk County, PA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC41.544713° N, 78.877173° W

DMS41° 32′ 40.97″ N, 78° 52′ 37.82″ W

Population Density & area

3.91/sq mi (1.51/km²)

Total Area

86.9 sq mi (224.9 km²)

Land Area

86.8 sq mi (224.7 km²) · 99.9%

Water Area

0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) · 0.1%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

59.9% male

Male 59.9%

Female 40.1%

males per 100 females

Highland township 149.3

Elk County 104

Pennsylvania 97.2

Nativity

0.6%

foreign-born population

99.4%Native

0.6% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Highland township 0.6%

Elk County 1.1%

Pennsylvania 7.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

48.3

years ∙ half population younger than 48.3, half older

Highland township

48.3

Elk County

48.4

Pennsylvania

40.9

Dependency ratio

63.8

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Highland township 63.8

Elk County 75.8

Pennsylvania 66.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	13.6%	19%	20.4%
Working age (18-64)	61%	56.9%	60.1%
Senior (65+)	25.4%	24.1%	19.5%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	63.8	75.8	66.4
Child dependency ratio	22.2	33.3	34
Old-age dependency ratio	41.5	42.4	32.4

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

93.5%

Black

Asian

0.6%

Hispanic

1.8%

Other

4.1%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

12.4%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Highland township 12.4%

Elk County 10.6%

Pennsylvania 44.6%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Highland township population

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Hispanic or Latino	1.8%	1%	8.7%
Mexican	0%	0.4%	1.4%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.3%	3.7%
Cuban	1.8%	0.2%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0%	0.2%	3.4%
Not Hispanic or Latino	98.2%	99%	91.3%
One race	94.4%	95.6%	87.7%
White	93.5%	94.5%	73%
Black or African American	0%	0.6%	10.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0%	0.1%
Asian	0.6%	0.4%	3.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0.3%	0%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.8%	3.4%	3.6%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

53.8% family

Family 53.8%

Non family 46.2%

% family households

Highland township 53.8%

Elk County 62.1%

Pennsylvania 62.4%

Average household size

2.34

persons per household

Highland township

2.34

Elk County

2.27

Pennsylvania

2.39

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Highland township population

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Total households	145	13,325	5,274,853
Average houshold size	2.34	2.27	2.39
Family households	78	8,274	3,291,192
Average family size	3.22	2.89	3.01
Married couple family	66	6,421	2,437,812
Other families	12	1,853	853,380
Male householder	5	704	246,246
Female householder	7	1,149	607,134
Non-family households	67	5,051	1,983,661
One-person households	51	4,553	1,629,974
Male householder	34	2,258	733,485
Senior (65+) living alone	18	862	246,162
Female householder	17	2,295	896,489
Senior (65+) living alone	15	1,327	477,851
Other living arrangements	16	498	353,687

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

408

housing units

Highland township 408

Elk County 16,880

Pennsylvania 5,806,452

Occupancy status

35.5% occupied

Occupied 35.5%

Vacant 64.5%

vacancy rate

Highland township 64.5%

Elk County 21.1%

Pennsylvania 9.2%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

80.1%

Single family houses

80.1%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

2.7%

Mobile homes

17.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1966

Half of houses were built before 1966, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

15.7%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

41.7%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

34.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

8.3%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	4.2	5.9	6
1–3 rooms	31.4%	13.4%	11.7%
4–6 rooms	55.7%	49%	47.7%
7+ rooms	12.9%	37.4%	40.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	6.6%	2.2%	2.3%
1 bedroom	15.9%	11.2%	10.4%
2 bedrooms	39.7%	21.5%	22.5%
3 bedrooms	32.8%	49%	42.3%
4+ bedrooms	4.9%	16.2%	22.6%
At a glance
Median year built	1966	1960	1966
Total housing units	408	16,880	5,806,452

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

82.8% owners

Renter-occupied 17.2%

Owner-occupied 82.8%

homeownership rate

Highland township 82.8%

Elk County 79.5%

Pennsylvania 69.3%

Average household size

2.43

Owner-occupied

1.88

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Highland township 2.43

Elk County 2.4

Pennsylvania 2.53

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Total occupied units	145	13,325	5,274,853
Year moved in
2020 or later	9.6%	13.6%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	31.7%	29.1%	36.1%
2000 to 2009	19.3%	15.2%	17.5%
1999 or earlier	39.3%	42%	26.2%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	91%	99.4%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	2.1%	0.1%	1%
1.51 or more	6.9%	0.4%	0.6%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	5.5%	6.3%	10.4%
1 vehicle	27.6%	34.2%	35.1%
2 vehicles	40%	37%	35.9%
3 or more vehicles	26.9%	22.5%	18.6%
House heating fuel used
Gas	64.8%	75.6%	56.4%
Electricity	13.8%	14.2%	25.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	11%	4%	14%
All other fuels	10.3%	5.8%	3.7%
No fuel used	0%	0.4%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.2%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.4%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.7%	0.6%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$75,000

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Highland township

$75,000

Elk County

$133,600

Pennsylvania

$254,500

Housing Cost Burden

38.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

38.9%

Owners without a mortgage

4.1%

Renters

38.1%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Property value
Median Value	$75,000	$133,600	$254,500
Under $100,000	58.3%	35.8%	13.9%
$100,000 - $200,000	34.2%	34.7%	22.4%
$200,000 - $300,000	3.3%	17.5%	22.9%
$300,000 - $500,000	3.3%	9.3%	25.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	0.8%	2.4%	12.8%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	0.4%	2.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	18.3%	40.5%	58%
Without a mortgage	81.7%	59.5%	42%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,250	$1,139	$1,762
Without a mortgage	$431	$479	$644
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,013	$719	$1,209

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

8.6%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Highland township 8.6%

Elk County 20.6%

Pennsylvania 35.2%

Adults without a high school diploma

8.1%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Highland township 8.1%

Elk County 5.7%

Pennsylvania 7.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

K–12

89.7%

College / Undergraduate

6.9%

Graduate / Professional

3.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

11.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Highland township

11.1%

Elk County

28.6%

Pennsylvania

44%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Total enrolled (age 3+)	58	5,790	2,913,513
Nursery / preschool	0%	10.1%	5.7%
K–12	89.7%	75.2%	66.9%
Kindergarten	0%	5.5%	4.8%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	12.1%	18.5%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	29.3%	22.1%	20.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	48.3%	29.1%	21.7%
College or graduate school	10.3%	14.7%	27.4%
College, undergraduate	6.9%	11.2%	21.2%
Graduate, professional school	3.4%	3.5%	6.2%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	11.1%	28.6%	44%
School type
Public school	91.4%	83.3%	75.3%
Private school	8.6%	16.7%	24.7%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

257

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

6.2%

HS graduate

57.6%

Some college no degree

14.4%

Associates degree

11.3%

Bachelors degree

5.4%

Graduate or professional degree

3.1%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

80% · 20%

9th-12th, no diploma

75% · 25%

HS graduate

56.8% · 43.2%

Some college no degree

64.9% · 35.1%

Associates degree

37.9% · 62.1%

Bachelors degree

64.3% · 35.7%

Graduate or professional degree

37.5% · 62.5%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Population (25+)	257	22,648	9,189,697
Less than 9th grade	1.9%	1.7%	2.9%
9th–12th, no diploma	6.2%	4%	5%
High school diploma or GED	57.6%	47.9%	32.9%
Some college, no degree	14.4%	13.5%	15.1%
Associate's degree	11.3%	12.3%	8.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher	8.6%	20.6%	35.2%
Bachelor's degree	5.4%	12.9%	20.9%
Graduate or professional	3.1%	7.7%	14.3%
High School or higher	91.8%	94.3%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$32,273

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$—

HS graduate

$29,881

Some college or associates

$35,625

Bachelors degree

$—

Graduate or professional degree

$88,750

Poverty Rate

27.3%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

19%

HS graduate

4.7%

Some college or associates

13.6%

Bachelors degree or higher

27.3%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Highland township	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$32,273	$43,853	$53,549
Less than high school graduate	$—	$33,594	$33,591
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$29,881	$38,365	$40,643
Some college or associate's degree	$35,625	$46,954	$47,736
Bachelor's degree	$—	$57,844	$69,335
Graduate or professional degree	$88,750	$61,098	$87,132
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	19%	15.1%	25.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	4.7%	8.2%	13.3%
Some college or associate's degree	13.6%	8.7%	9.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	27.3%	3.1%	4.1%

Insights for Highland township, Elk County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

Cite this page

Citation style

Url to be used as reference

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.