Elk is a township in Nobles County, Minnesota, home to about 235 people across 36 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56165 and 56187.
Homes sold for a median of $143 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Summit Lake; part is in Elk
Mostly Worthington; part is in Elk
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Elk. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Elk’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)147 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)55 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN148 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL423 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Elk; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Elk had 216 residents in the 2020 census, down 24% since 2000.
It’s the 1708th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Nobles County grew from 14,932 residents in 1900 to 22,290 in 2020.
Nobles County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 5°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 45 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Worthington 2 Nne, MN weather station (4 miles away).
8,853 jobs at 574 businesses in Nobles County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
155 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Elk’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 29 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 20 |
| Dentists | 14 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 28 |
| Mental health providers | 28 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 23 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (18 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Worthington Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community EducationWorthington | Pre-K | 87 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Early ChildhoodWorthington | Pre-K | 40 | Special Education | 3.5 mi |
| Prairie ElementaryWorthington | Pre-K–2 | 690 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Out-of-State Care and TreatmentWorthington | K–12 | — | Alternative Education | 3.5 mi |
| Virtual Instruction by Excellence EWorthington | K–6 | 518 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Intermediate SchoolWorthington | 3–5 | 705 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Worthington MiddleWorthington | 6–8 | 664 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Learning CenterWorthington | 7–12 | 82 | Alternative Education | 2.7 mi |
| Learning Center NightWorthington | 7–12 | 36 | Alternative Education | 2.7 mi |
| Virtual Instruction by Excellence SWorthington | 7–12 | 124 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Worthington Senior HighWorthington | 9–12 | 1,118 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worthington Christian SchoolWorthington | Pre-K–8 | 100 | Calvinist | 3.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Worthington, Worthington Township, Bigelow Township, Summit Lake, Lorain, Indian Lake, Dewald, Ewington and Bloom.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.