Photo by Harper Wills

On June 3, 2017 a group of neighbors celebrate Elkhorn Days parade. The Elkhorn Days parade signifies Elkhorns history and celebrates the community of the town.

Over the past decade, Elkhorn has grown rapidly, leading to new schools, businesses, and neighborhoods in order to keep up with the demand of the growing population. The small town is not so small anymore.

Elkhorn was originally a small town, with a population below 10,000 in 2005, before it got annexed by Omaha in 2007. Elkhorn fought to remain independent, but resulted in being annexed due to border expansion, despite pushback from the people of the town. Now, Elkhorn is known as a community of Omaha. 

In just 20 years, Elkhorn has gained 25,000 residents and has a current population of roughly 35,000. Elkhorn is consistently described by the surrounding people as a safe, suburban town with access to necessities, and known for its solid school systems and strong community. These reasons have led to a surplus of people moving into Elkhorn in recent years.

“I’ve lived in the city, and also lived in the country, so Elkhorn is a nice in between for a small town and a big city,” English teacher Sara Linscomb said.

In 1980, Elkhorn High School was built with an enrollment of around 100 students. Over the last 15 years, Elkhorn South and Elkhorn North have been built to keep up with the growing demand for schools. Elkhorn South was built in 2010 and now has an enrollment of 1,400 students. Elkhorn North was built in 2020 and recently reached an enrollment of 1000 students. In 2024, Elkhorn High School reached an enrollment of 800 students. Out of over 13,000 public school districts in America, Elkhorn Public Schools is rated 218th.

“The curriculum is rigorous, the expectations are high, and the discipline is followed through with,” Linscomb said.

EPS does not allow students from other areas to opt in, so many families relocate in order to attend Elkhorn schools. Elkhorn’s outstanding curriculum and athletics, along with the high-rated neighborhoods encourage migration to the area.

“I debated between two schools, but overall decided to go to Elkhorn,” junior Makenna Lucero said,.“The curriculum seemed to better prepare me for the future, and future job opportunities.”

Construction is constant, in order to improve the city to meet the needs of the people.  Prairie Construction is building two new Elkhorn elementary schools, bringing the total to 14.

Schools are not the only demand in Elkhorn, as many new businesses are being built around the area. Hyper, 7 Brew, and North Italia are all new businesses that came to town at the start of 2026. The craze of these Elkhorn businesses has made its way to social media, with many people traveling to Elkhorn for the new buzz. 7 Brew saw lines over three hours long, stretching all the way down to Maple street on January 19.

Elkhorn’s future has many exciting things to come. While some of the most popular being Costco, Smoothie King, and the Maple 180 strip mall near Elkhorn North, a lot is in store for the future of the Elkhorn area.

“A new Baker’s supermarket is planned for the southwest corner,” C2 building company Vice President Andy Callaway said. “Along with a potential sporting goods store that is still in the planning stages.”

C2 building company also introduced “Avenue One,” a 200 acre multi-use area for buildings on 192nd and West Dodge road. High-end retail, restaurants, and service offerings can be expected to be added into this area.

“Signed tenants include Arhaus, West Elm, Williams Sonoma, and Pottery Barn,” Callaway said.

Additionally, Elkhorn is known for its wide variety of job opportunities and high income ranges. According to A Guide to Living in Elkhorn, NE,  the median household income for Elkhorn is $101,000, while Omaha’s is $60,000. While Elkhorn leans on the side of higher cost living, healthcare, finance, technology, and manufacturing jobs are of high demand in Elkhorn.

“Residential development is likely the highest area of need and demand in Elkhorn,” Callaway said.

Elkhorn is constantly changing and becoming an urban community. The small town that started as country roads has rapidly turned into a busy city. With no end in sight, Elkhorn is forced to continue development to keep up with population booms.