[3] Elk City had its start in the year 1868 by the building of a trading post at that location.

[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.34 square miles (0.88 km2), all of it land.

[6] The 2020 United States census counted 260 people, 106 households, and 69 families in Elk City.

There were 144 housing units at an average density of 426.0 per square mile (164.5/km2).

32.1% of households consisted of individuals and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

About 15.0% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.8% of those 65 or over.

The community is served by Independence USD 446 public school district.

Harry Hines Woodring, 25th Governor of Kansas and 53rd United States Secretary of War