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Waterford, PA
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
1,301
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
44.7
years ∙ half population younger than 44.7, half older
Diversity Index
17.1%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
0.9%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Waterford is a borough within Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC41.945169° N, 79.985133° W
DMS41° 56′ 42.61″ N, 79° 59′ 06.48″ W
Population Density & area
1,058/sq mi
(410.4/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
44.9%
male
Male
44.9%
Female
55.1%
males per 100 females
Waterford
81.5
Erie County
98.8
Pennsylvania
97.2
Nativity
0.9%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Waterford
0.9%
Erie County
4.9%
Pennsylvania
7.7%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
44.7
years ∙ half population younger than 44.7, half older
Dependency ratio
57.5
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Waterford
57.5
Erie County
67.9
Pennsylvania
66.4
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 19.4% | 20.7% | 20.4% |
| Working age (18-64) | 63.5% | 59.6% | 60.1% |
| Senior (65+) | 17.1% | 19.7% | 19.5% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 57.5 | 67.9 | 66.4 |
| Child dependency ratio | 30.5 | 34.7 | 34 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 27 | 33.1 | 32.4 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
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
17.1%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Waterford
17.1%
Erie County
32.3%
Pennsylvania
44.6%
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 Waterford population
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.5% | 4.8% | 8.7% |
| Mexican | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Puerto Rican | 4.7% | 2.8% | 3.7% |
| Cuban | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 0.5% | 1% | 3.4% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 93.5% | 95.2% | 91.3% |
| One race | 90.8% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| White | 90.8% | 81.7% | 73% |
| Black or African American | 0% | 7% | 10.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0% | 2.2% | 3.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Some Other Race | 0% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 2.7% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
58.2%
family
Family
58.2%
Non family
41.8%
% family households
Waterford
58.2%
Erie County
59.9%
Pennsylvania
62.4%
Average household size
2.17
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Waterford population
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 600 | 110,587 | 5,274,853 |
| Average houshold size | 2.17 | 2.31 | 2.39 |
| Family households | 349 | 66,222 | 3,291,192 |
| Average family size | 2.86 | 2.95 | 3.01 |
| Married couple family | 275 | 47,345 | 2,437,812 |
| Other families | 74 | 18,877 | 853,380 |
| Male householder | 23 | 5,413 | 246,246 |
| Female householder | 51 | 13,464 | 607,134 |
| Non-family households | 251 | 44,365 | 1,983,661 |
| One-person households | 216 | 36,553 | 1,629,974 |
| Male householder | 56 | 17,214 | 733,485 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 12 | 5,852 | 246,162 |
| Female householder | 160 | 19,339 | 896,489 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 93 | 10,700 | 477,851 |
| Other living arrangements | 35 | 7,812 | 353,687 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
667
housing units
Waterford
667
Erie County
120,111
Pennsylvania
5,806,452
Occupancy status
90%
occupied
Occupied
90%
Vacant
10%
vacancy rate
Waterford
10%
Erie County
7.9%
Pennsylvania
9.2%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
62.6%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1961
Half of houses were built before 1961, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.5 | 6 | 6 |
| 1–3 rooms | 14.3% | 10.1% | 11.7% |
| 4–6 rooms | 49.6% | 50.3% | 47.7% |
| 7+ rooms | 35.9% | 39.6% | 40.7% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 3.6% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| 1 bedroom | 13.6% | 9% | 10.4% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.5% | 24.8% | 22.5% |
| 3 bedrooms | 35.5% | 42.2% | 42.3% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 18.7% | 21.9% | 22.6% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1961 | 1965 | 1966 |
| Total housing units | 667 | 120,111 | 5,806,452 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
48.7%
owners
Renter-occupied
51.3%
Owner-occupied
48.7%
homeownership rate
Waterford
48.7%
Erie County
68.1%
Pennsylvania
69.3%
Average household size
2.58
Owner-occupied
1.78
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Waterford
2.58
Erie County
2.42
Pennsylvania
2.53
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 600 | 110,587 | 5,274,853 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 31.1% | 21.3% | 20.2% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 32.5% | 35.2% | 36.1% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 20.2% | 17.9% | 17.5% |
| 1999 or earlier | 16.2% | 25.7% | 26.2% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 99.5% | 98.9% | 98.4% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 0.5% | 0.8% | 1% |
| 1.51 or more | 0% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 8% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| 1 vehicle | 41.5% | 39% | 35.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 38.8% | 36% | 35.9% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 11.7% | 15.1% | 18.6% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 81.4% | 83.1% | 56.4% |
| Electricity | 15.8% | 11.2% | 25.3% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 1.7% | 2.2% | 14% |
| All other fuels | 1.2% | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| No fuel used | 0% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$167,600
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
22.5%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
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
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $167,600 | $177,000 | $254,500 |
| Under $100,000 | 13.6% | 22.7% | 13.9% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 46.2% | 34.1% | 22.4% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 26.4% | 22.9% | 22.9% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 13.7% | 15.6% | 25.9% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 0% | 4% | 12.8% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 0.6% | 2.1% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 48.6% | 53.4% | 58% |
| Without a mortgage | 51.4% | 46.6% | 42% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $1,257 | $1,393 | $1,762 |
| Without a mortgage | $462 | $572 | $644 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $1,003 | $904 | $1,209 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
19.7%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Waterford
19.7%
Erie County
30.3%
Pennsylvania
35.2%
Adults without a high school diploma
11.9%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Waterford
11.9%
Erie County
7%
Pennsylvania
7.9%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
263
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
31.5%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 263 | 63,167 | 2,913,513 |
| Nursery / preschool | 6.1% | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| K–12 | 74.5% | 64.1% | 66.9% |
| Kindergarten | 3.4% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 14.1% | 18.5% | 19.7% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 25.9% | 19.6% | 20.7% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 31.2% | 20.8% | 21.7% |
| College or graduate school | 19.4% | 30.4% | 27.4% |
| College, undergraduate | 6.5% | 23.9% | 21.2% |
| Graduate, professional school | 12.9% | 6.4% | 6.2% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 31.5% | 49.4% | 44% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 87.5% | 75.2% | 75.3% |
| Private school | 12.5% | 24.8% | 24.7% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
957
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 957 | 186,383 | 9,189,697 |
| Less than 9th grade | 0.6% | 2.2% | 2.9% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 11.3% | 4.8% | 5% |
| High school diploma or GED | 42.7% | 37.3% | 32.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 16.3% | 15.7% | 15.1% |
| Associate's degree | 9.3% | 9.6% | 8.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 30.3% | 35.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14% | 18.6% | 20.9% |
| Graduate or professional | 5.7% | 11.7% | 14.3% |
| High School or higher | 88.1% | 92.9% | 92.1% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$44,333
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
16.4%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Waterford | Erie County | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $44,333 | $45,829 | $53,549 |
| Less than high school graduate | $24,324 | $25,820 | $33,591 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $46,176 | $36,332 | $40,643 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $47,031 | $41,680 | $47,736 |
| Bachelor's degree | $29,559 | $59,632 | $69,335 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $75,833 | $75,626 | $87,132 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 9.6% | 32% | 25.2% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 21.3% | 15.5% | 13.3% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 4.1% | 10.4% | 9.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 5.9% | 4.1% |
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.
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