Santa Elena before was known as Ilayang Santol, a small sitio of Barrio Pulongguit-guit, municipality of Capalonga, province of Camarines Norte. Very few reside on the place and their houses were far from each other, so that in case of an emergency, they summon each other by means of the “Tambuli” a shell conch blow horn.

           The Japanese played an important role in the development of Sta. Elena by providing it with an access road to the Bicol Region by shaping and opening the first road and bridges that connected Sta. Elena to Daet and to Manila. Later, the eastern Tayabas Bus Company opened regular trips from Daet to Manila. From then on, the people began building houses along the road improving the relations among residents and thereby assemblies for their development and welfare began taking shape.

            Until one time, in one of their assemblies, Eladio Borreo suggested to name the sitio Sta. Elena at the same time making Saint Helena, The Empress as patron saint. The motion was duly seconded and was approved unanimously.

            Through the efforts of the local leaders, Sta. Elena became an independent barrio in 1948 during the term of Mayor Lucio Jacob as Municipal Mayor of Capalonga, Camarines Norte. This was followed by donations of a school site by Felimon Cudiamat and Engracio del Moro, and a municipal site donated by Silvestre del Moro and Engracio Villabroza. Later a demand by the first catholic group the acknowledgment of the Archbishop of Nueva Carceres, Naga City, to give them a missionary priest that was then assigned to the barrio in 1958 as represented by Rev. Fr. Angel Obnamia.

            Sta. Elena became a municipality on June 21, 1969 by virtue of Republic Act 5480 thru the initiative of the local residents and then Member of Congress Fernando V. Pajarillo. The first Municipal Mayor elected was Mayor Vicente Dimatera in 1972.

            A more recent development is the reacquisition of areas in nearby town of Calauag, Quezon involving a Provincial boundary dispute with Sta. Elena wherein the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sta. Elena thus expanding the area of the municipality to its future advantage.

            Sta. Elena is a third-class municipality and recognized as a secondary growth center for the province because of its strategic location and rich natural resource. It has a 2010 population of 40,828 for the nineteen barangays.

            The town’s economy largely depends on agriculture with large tracks of coconut plantations and 10 coastal barangays relying on the bounty or produce from the fishing grounds.

             With a 0.78 % population growth rate, the municipal government is working to maintain this growth rate with variable population program complemented by comprehensive agro-industrial development strategy to use the town’s natural resources and population advantage in the best possible mixture.