Erie County, Pennsylvania

County in PA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

269,052

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

40.2

years ∙ half population younger than 40.2, half older

Diversity Index

32.3%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

4.9%

foreign-born population

95.1%Native

4.9% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Erie County is a county in Pennsylvania, United States.

Location

County in PA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC42.117952° N, 80.096386° W

DMS42° 07′ 04.63″ N, 80° 05′ 46.99″ W

Population Density & area

336.7/sq mi (130/km²)

Total Area

1,558 sq mi (4,035 km²)

Land Area

799 sq mi (2,069 km²) · 51.3%

Water Area

759 sq mi (1,966 km²) · 48.7%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.7% male

Male 49.7%

Female 50.3%

males per 100 females

Erie County 98.8

Pennsylvania 97.2

United States 98

Nativity

4.9%

foreign-born population

95.1%Native

4.9% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Erie County 4.9%

Pennsylvania 7.7%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

40.2

years ∙ half population younger than 40.2, half older

Erie County

40.2

Pennsylvania

40.9

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

67.9

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Erie County 67.9

Pennsylvania 66.4

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	20.7%	20.4%	22%
Working age (18-64)	59.6%	60.1%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	19.7%	19.5%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	67.9	66.4	64.4
Child dependency ratio	34.7	34	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	33.1	32.4	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

81.7%

Black

Asian

2.2%

Hispanic

4.8%

Other

4.3%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

32.3%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Erie County 32.3%

Pennsylvania 44.6%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Erie County population

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Hispanic or Latino	4.8%	8.7%	19.3%
Mexican	0.8%	1.4%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	2.8%	3.7%	1.8%
Cuban	0.2%	0.2%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1%	3.4%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	95.2%	91.3%	80.7%
One race	91.3%	87.7%	76.4%
White	81.7%	73%	57.4%
Black or African American	7%	10.3%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	2.2%	3.8%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.4%	0.5%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.9%	3.6%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

59.9% family

Family 59.9%

Non family 40.1%

% family households

Erie County 59.9%

Pennsylvania 62.4%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.31

persons per household

Erie County

2.31

Pennsylvania

2.39

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Erie County population

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total households	110,587	5,274,853	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.31	2.39	2.53
Family households	66,222	3,291,192	82,990,528
Average family size	2.95	3.01	3.14
Married couple family	47,345	2,437,812	60,637,388
Other families	18,877	853,380	22,353,140
Male householder	5,413	246,246	6,572,819
Female householder	13,464	607,134	15,780,321
Non-family households	44,365	1,983,661	46,236,968
One-person households	36,553	1,629,974	37,140,836
Male householder	17,214	733,485	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	5,852	246,162	5,225,110
Female householder	19,339	896,489	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	10,700	477,851	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	7,812	353,687	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

120,111

housing units

Erie County 120,111

Pennsylvania 5,806,452

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

92.1% occupied

Occupied 92.1%

Vacant 7.9%

vacancy rate

Erie County 7.9%

Pennsylvania 9.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

72.3%

Single family houses

72.3%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

23.1%

Mobile homes

4.6%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1965

Half of houses were built before 1965, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

24.3%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

31.3%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

32.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

12.1%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6	6	5.5
1–3 rooms	10.1%	11.7%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	50.3%	47.7%	51.6%
7+ rooms	39.6%	40.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	2.1%	2.3%	2.9%
1 bedroom	9%	10.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	24.8%	22.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	42.2%	42.3%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	21.9%	22.6%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1965	1966	1981
Total housing units	120,111	5,806,452	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

68.1% owners

Renter-occupied 31.9%

Owner-occupied 68.1%

homeownership rate

Erie County 68.1%

Pennsylvania 69.3%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.42

Owner-occupied

2.08

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Erie County 2.42

Pennsylvania 2.53

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total occupied units	110,587	5,274,853	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	21.3%	20.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	35.2%	36.1%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	17.9%	17.5%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	25.7%	26.2%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.9%	98.4%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	0.8%	1%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.4%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	9.9%	10.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	39%	35.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	36%	35.9%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	15.1%	18.6%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	83.1%	56.4%	51.4%
Electricity	11.2%	25.3%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	2.2%	14%	3.9%
All other fuels	3.1%	3.7%	2%
No fuel used	0.5%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.3%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.9%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.8%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$177,000

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Erie County

$177,000

Pennsylvania

$254,500

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

22.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.9%

Owners without a mortgage

12.3%

Renters

49.1%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Property value
Median Value	$177,000	$254,500	$332,700
Under $100,000	22.7%	13.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	34.1%	22.4%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	22.9%	22.9%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	15.6%	25.9%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	4%	12.8%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.6%	2.1%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	53.4%	58%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	46.6%	42%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,393	$1,762	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$572	$644	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$904	$1,209	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

30.3%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Erie County 30.3%

Pennsylvania 35.2%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Erie County 7%

Pennsylvania 7.9%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

63,167

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

5.5%

K–12

64.1%

College / Undergraduate

23.9%

Graduate / Professional

6.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

49.4%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Erie County

49.4%

Pennsylvania

44%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	63,167	2,913,513	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	5.5%	5.7%	5.7%
K–12	64.1%	66.9%	67.6%
Kindergarten	5.2%	4.8%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	18.5%	19.7%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	19.6%	20.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	20.8%	21.7%	21.7%
College or graduate school	30.4%	27.4%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	23.9%	21.2%	21%
Graduate, professional school	6.4%	6.2%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	49.4%	44%	40.9%
School type
Public school	75.2%	75.3%	82%
Private school	24.8%	24.7%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

186,383

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.2%

9th-12th, no diploma

4.8%

HS graduate

37.3%

Some college no degree

15.7%

Associates degree

9.6%

Bachelors degree

18.6%

Graduate or professional degree

11.7%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

48.3% · 51.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

61.5% · 38.5%

HS graduate

49.8% · 50.2%

Some college no degree

51% · 49%

Associates degree

46.2% · 53.8%

Bachelors degree

47.5% · 52.5%

Graduate or professional degree

43.1% · 56.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Population (25+)	186,383	9,189,697	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	2.2%	2.9%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.8%	5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	37.3%	32.9%	26%
Some college, no degree	15.7%	15.1%	19.1%
Associate's degree	9.6%	8.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	30.3%	35.2%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	18.6%	20.9%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	11.7%	14.3%	14.1%
High School or higher	92.9%	92.1%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$45,829

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$25,820

HS graduate

$36,332

Some college or associates

$41,680

Bachelors degree

$59,632

Graduate or professional degree

$75,626

Poverty Rate

5.9%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

32%

HS graduate

15.5%

Some college or associates

10.4%

Bachelors degree or higher

5.9%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Erie County	Pennsylvania	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$45,829	$53,549	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$25,820	$33,591	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$36,332	$40,643	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$41,680	$47,736	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$59,632	$69,335	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$75,626	$87,132	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	32%	25.2%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	15.5%	13.3%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	10.4%	9.1%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	5.9%	4.1%	4.5%

Insights for Erie County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

Cite this page

Citation style

Url to be used as reference

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.