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COUNTY

Erie County

Pennsylvania · 265,832 residents (2025 est.) · 799 sq mi
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The short version

With 269,052 people, Erie County is a county in Pennsylvania. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $177,000. The foreign-born share is 5%. Median rent is $904 a month. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 19%. The average commute runs 20 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
269,052
−4%since 2000
from 280,843 in 2000
265,832 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
337 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 350 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.2
+11%since 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
799 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
268K271K275K278K282K19902000201020202024Erie County
2024269K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(13,832)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(15,069)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(16,428)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(19,172)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.8%(18,168)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.5%(33,632)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(32,435)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(31,144)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.4%(36,093)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.8%(31,880)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(15,262)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(5,937)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,354
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,627 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,812
+100%since 2000
from $17,932 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.7%
+18.7 ptssince 2009
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.0%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.464
+5%since 2010
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services6.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$177,000
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$904
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $445 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 69.2% in 2000
31.9% rent
Vacancy rate
7.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.31 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.8%
−6.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.8
+13%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(252,258)
Black6%(16,876)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(6,126)
Asian0.7%(1,902)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic81.7%(219,947)
Black7%(18,707)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(12,851)
Asian2.2%(5,869)
Other4.3%(11,678)
Diversity Score
40
+53%since 2009
from 26 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
42
−7%since 2020
from 45 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican2.8%(7,572)
Mexican0.8%(2,103)
Cuban0.2%(413)
Dominican0.1%(397)
Spaniard0.1%(364)
Colombian0.1%(281)
Peruvian0.1%(224)
Costa Rican0.1%(176)
Guatemalan0.1%(143)
Honduran0.1%(138)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.6%(1,480)
Nepalese0.3%(881)
Vietnamese0.3%(777)
Filipino0.3%(746)
Chinese0.2%(573)
Kazakh0.1%(321)
Korean0.1%(252)
Bangladeshi0.1%(206)
Bhutanese0.1%(159)
Pakistani0.1%(138)
Japanese0%(58)
Mongolian0%(55)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(51)
Cambodian0%(35)
Laotian0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(4)
Ancestry
German22.4%(60,402)
Irish13.2%(35,471)
Italian10.6%(28,616)
Polish10.1%(27,292)
English8.5%(22,850)
American3.9%(10,600)
Swedish1.9%(5,219)
Scottish1.6%(4,352)
French1.5%(4,068)
Russian1%(2,763)
Dutch1%(2,667)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Slovak1%(2,604)
Ukrainian0.9%(2,491)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(2,473)
Arab0.8%(2,065)
Hungarian0.8%(2,023)
Welsh0.6%(1,600)
Czech0.5%(1,395)
Swiss0.4%(992)
Norwegian0.3%(867)
Lithuanian0.2%(606)
Portuguese0.2%(590)
Danish0.2%(589)
British0.2%(588)
Syrian0.2%(542)
Greek0.2%(465)
Austrian0.2%(464)
Croatian0.2%(451)
West Indian0.2%(432)
Finnish0.2%(423)
Iraqi0.2%(419)
Lebanese0.1%(336)
Canadian0.1%(326)
Ethiopian0.1%(308)
Romanian0.1%(292)
Armenian0.1%(258)
Jamaican0.1%(235)
Somali0.1%(185)
Egyptian0.1%(169)
Belgian0.1%(158)
Slovene0%(134)
Serbian0%(112)
Kenyan0%(109)
Nigerian0%(107)
Haitian0%(99)
Iranian0%(64)
Turkish0%(42)
Jordanian0%(36)
Ghanaian0%(29)
Moroccan0%(27)
Brazilian0%(23)
Latvian0%(10)
Israeli0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.3%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.9%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 84.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.7%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 7.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.6 min
+70%since 2000
from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.4%
−5.4 ptssince 2009
from 80.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.9%
+6.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2011
from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 62.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.9%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
38.9%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Female
50.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Foreign born
4.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2012
from 15.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.0%
+12.6 ptssince 2017
from 76.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.9%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.9%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
93.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 93.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40%(44,229)
Married47%(51,905)
Widowed3%(3,296)
Divorced10%(11,037)
Women 15+
Never married32.2%(36,522)
Married46.5%(52,658)
Widowed8.9%(10,124)
Divorced12.3%(13,952)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 55.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
26.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 41.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)21.6%(3,169)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.9%(2,914)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.9%(5,110)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(816)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(183)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,656 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Pop 290,028
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Head to head

Compare Erie County to nearby counties

ERIE COUNTY VS
Crawford County
Income$60,476−5%
Home value$153,200−13%
Population81,792−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ERIE COUNTY VS
Ashtabula County
Income$57,728−9%
Home value$159,500−10%
Population96,713−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ERIE COUNTY VS
Chautauqua County
Income$58,351−8%
Home value$127,900−28%
Population124,126−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ERIE COUNTY VS
Warren County
Income$60,480−5%
Home value$127,500−28%
Population37,038−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Erie County, Pennsylvania?

Erie County, Pennsylvania has about 269,052 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Erie County, Pennsylvania earns about $63,354 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Erie County, Pennsylvania expensive?

In Erie County, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $177,000, and the typical rent is about $904 a month.

How educated are people in Erie County, Pennsylvania?

About 30.3% of adults age 25 and over in Erie County, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Erie County, Pennsylvania?

About 15.0% of people in Erie County, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

Has Erie County, Pennsylvania grown since 1990?

Yes, Erie County, Pennsylvania has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,520 residents, a change of about -2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →