Elk Horn Iowa Map

About Elk Horn, Iowa

Elk Horn is a locality in Shelby County, Iowa, United States. It is a small community with a population of 728. The population density is 328.0 people per km². Elk Horn is located at 41.5917°N, 95.0600°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 51531.

Elk Horn lies where the land begins its slow, deliberate roll toward the horizon, a place where fields of corn and soybeans stretch, a rippling green and gold sea under a vast, indifferent sky. It lies 47.3 miles east-north-east of Council Bluffs, IA (from Council Bluffs, IA: bearing 61°T), and is situated 9.5 miles west of Exira. The air here carries the clean scent of turned earth and the distant hum of tractors, a lullaby sung by the seasons. Roads, straight and true as an arrow's flight, dissect the landscape, connecting farmsteads that stand like solitary sentinels against the immensity of the prairie. The light at the end of a summer day spills across the western sky in hues of apricot and rose, softening the sharp edges of barns and silos, painting the very air with a gentle, almost palpable warmth. This corner of Shelby County, Iowa, has long been shaped by the rhythm of agriculture, a steadfast dedication to the soil that has sustained generations. The Danish heritage, a vibrant thread in the local fabric, is most keenly felt in the Danish Windmill and the Museum of Danish America, landmarks that speak of journeys across oceans and the enduring spirit of a people who found a new home and prosperity here. The economy, rooted deeply in the bounty of the land, thrives on the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock, a quiet industry that fuels the heart of Elk Horn. Life here moves with a measured pace, a steady beat underscored by the shared understanding that comes from living closely with the earth and with each other.

About This Elk Horn Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Elk Horn, Iowa — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 41.591655, -95.05999. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Elk Horn and Shelby County.

Detailed location data for Elk Horn includes the ZIP code (51531), telephone area code (641), county seat of Shelby County (Harlan), and school district assignment (Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Elk Horn is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.