Erie County, NY

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

918,873

0.0524% 1-year decline

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2018 Median Age

40.4

0.248% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

13.7%

3.45% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$59,464

2.31% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$160,700

4.76% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

448,836

0.648% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Erie County, NY had a population of 919k people with a median age of 40.4 and a median household income of $59,464. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Erie County, NY declined from 919,355 to 918,873, a −0.0524% decrease and its median household income grew from $58,121 to $59,464, a 2.31% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, NY are White (Non-Hispanic) (74.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (12.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.76%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.33%), and White (Hispanic) (2.21%).

None of the households in Erie County, NY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.8% of the residents in Erie County, NY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Erie County, NY are University at Buffalo (9,304 degrees awarded in 2021), SUNY Buffalo State (2,213 degrees), and Erie Community College (1,735 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Erie County, NY was $160,700, and the homeownership rate was 64.8%.

Most people in Erie County, NY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Erie County, NY was 2 cars per household.

Erie County, NY borders Cattaraugus County, NY, Chautauqua County, NY, Genesee County, NY, Niagara County, NY, and Wyoming County, NY.

About the photo: Entrance to Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Photo by CaptMikey9

United States New York Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

Population & Diversity

Erie County, NY is home to a population of 919k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2020, 7.25% of Erie County, NY residents were born outside of the country (66.6k people).

In 2020, there were 5.91 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (688k people) in Erie County, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 117k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 34.6k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2020 Citizenship

96.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.8% of Erie County, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Erie County, NY was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Erie County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
688k ± 915
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
117k ± 1.52k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
34.6k ± 706

5.71%

Hispanic Population

52.4k people

5.71% of the people in Erie County, NY are hispanic (52.4k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Erie County, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
495,720 ± 17,065 people
China
408,272 ± 15,522 people
Jamaica
227,326 ± 11,637 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 495,720 New York residents, followed by China with 408,272 and Jamaica with 227,326.

Foreign-Born Population

7.25%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

66.6k people

7.16%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

65.8k people

As of 2020, 7.25% of Erie County, NY residents (66.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Erie County, NY was 7.16%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Erie County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
18,336 ± 716
Gulf War (2001-)
6,766 ± 562
Gulf War (1990s)
5,610 ± 611

Erie County, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.71 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Erie County, NY employs 449k people. The largest industries in Erie County, NY are Health Care & Social Assistance (77,865 people), Educational Services (50,638 people), and Retail Trade (48,494 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($67,768), Utilities ($67,676), and Public Administration ($65,434).

Males in New York have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $66,479. The income inequality in New York (measured using the Gini index) is 0.494, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

449k

2020 Value

± 5,156

−0.648%

1 Year decline

± 1.54%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Erie County, NY declined at a rate of −0.648%, from 452k employees to 449k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Erie County, NY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (59,369 people), Sales & Related Occupations (44,414 people), and Management Occupations (44,273 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Erie County, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

449k

2020 Value

± 5,156

−0.648%

1 Year decline

± 1.54%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Erie County, NY declined at a rate of −0.648%, from 452k employees to 449k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Erie County, NY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (77,865 people), Educational Services (50,638 people), and Retail Trade (48,494 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Erie County, NY, though some of these residents may live in Erie County, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,939

Median earning men ± $937

$35,206

Median earning women ± $474

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($70,188), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,419), and Manufacturing ($55,198).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($56,169), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,385), and Information ($45,351).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

View Full Dashboard

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

9,418
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
5,735
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
4,914
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$12.1M
Manufacturing
$9.61M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$6.43M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New York product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $158B, followed by Mixed freight ($72.3B) and Electronics ($71.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound New York products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New York.

$810B

2020 Value in New York

$1.62T

Projected 2050 Value in New York

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound New York trade was $810B. This is expected to increase 100% to $1.62T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound New York trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$65.9B
Pennsylvania
$49.6B
California
$30.8B

In 2020, the top outbound New York domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $65.9B, followed by Pennsylvania with $49.6B and California and $30.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that New York shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Erie County, NY went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 56% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.4%), followed by Other (1.6%).

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing the state of New York. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (56%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41.4%)
Republican Party
Other (1.6%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Erie County, NY went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 56% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.4%), followed by Other (1.6%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Erie County, NY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New York

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Chuck Schumer

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 3, 1999

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 26, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Hillary Clinton, who had become Secretary of State.

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing New York.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New York over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New York

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New York have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Erie County, NY awarded 20,047 degrees. The student population of Erie County, NY in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 57,606 male students and 82,356 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Erie County, NY are White (11,403 and 63.7%), followed by Black or African American (2,463 and 13.8%), Asian (1,435 and 8.02%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,110 and 6.2%).

The largest universities in Erie County, NY by number of degrees awarded are University at Buffalo (9,304 and 46.4%), SUNY Buffalo State (2,213 and 11%), and Erie Community College (1,735 and 8.65%).

The most popular majors in Erie County, NY are General Business Administration & Management (1,641 and 8.19%), Registered Nursing (874 and 4.36%), and General Psychology (824 and 4.11%).

The median tuition costs in Erie County, NY are $28,968 for private four year colleges, and $7,070 and $20,985 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Erie County, NY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 75.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 139,962 (41.2% men and 58.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 139,962 students enrolled in Erie County, NY, 41.2% men and 58.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 71,578 records, of which 59.9% were women and 40.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1,124 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
793 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
466 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Erie County, NY was General Business Administration & Management with 1,124 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Erie County, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University at Buffalo
9,304 degrees awarded
SUNY Buffalo State
2,213 degrees awarded
Erie Community College
1,735 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University at Buffalo with 9,304 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 8,144 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Erie County, NY, which is 0.684 times less than the 11,903 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 11,403 degrees mean that there were 4.63 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,463 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($28,968) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,564) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Measure

In 2020, 1.36% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.5% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (4.01M), Bachelors Degree (3.13M), and Some college (2.8M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Erie County, NY was $160,700 in 2020, which is 0.699 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $153,400 to $160,700, a 4.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Erie County, NY is 64.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Erie County, NY have an average commute time of 21.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Erie County, NY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Erie County, NY is $59,464. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Erie County, NY was Census Tract 135.02 with a value of $147,000, followed by Census Tract 90.07 and Census Tract 142.06, with respective values of $139,837 and $132,064.

In 2022, 15.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Erie County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.617%.

Housing

Property

$160,700

Median Property Value 2020

±$1,198

$254,697

Median Property Taxes

±$3,423

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Erie County, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Erie County, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

64.8%

Homeownership

2020

60.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 64.8% of the housing units in Erie County, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 64.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Erie County, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 135.02
Census Tract 90.07
Census Tract 142.06

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Erie County, NY was Census Tract 135.02 with a value of $147,000, followed by Census Tract 90.07 and Census Tract 142.06, with respective values of $139,837 and $132,064.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Erie County, NY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$59,464

Median Household Income

± $843

393k

Number of Households

± 4,708

In 2020, the median household income of the 393k households in Erie County, NY grew to $59,464 from the previous year's value of $58,121.

The following chart displays the households in Erie County, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Erie County, NY is from New York.

0.494

2020 Wage GINI in New York

0.497

2019 Wage GINI in New York

In 2020, the income inequality in New York was 0.494 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.645% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (80%)
Carpooled (7.3%)
Worked At Home (5.47%)

In 2020, 80% of workers in Erie County, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.3%) and those who worked at home (5.47%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Erie County, NY have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.25% of the workforce in Erie County, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Erie County, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Erie County, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Erie County, NY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 15.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Erie County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.617%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Erie County, NY (122k out of 893k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Erie County, NY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 17.8% of the children was living in poverty in Erie County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 428 in Erie County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 68.7 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function

Health

96.3% of the population of Erie County, NY has health coverage, with 51.7% on employee plans, 19.6% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 10.7% on non-group plans, and 1.05% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in New York was $9,778 in 2014. This is a 4.57% increase from the previous year ($9,351).

Primary care physicians in Erie County, NY see 1252 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.239% decrease from the previous year (1255 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1168 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 285 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.3% were men and 52.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,252 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Erie County, NY

Primary care physicians in Erie County, NY see an average of 1,252 patients per year. This represents a 0.239% decrease from the previous year (1,255 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Erie County, NY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.9% under 18 years, 22.1% between 18 and 34 years, 38.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.3% were men and 52.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.71%

Uninsured

51.7%

Employer Coverage

19.6%

Medicaid

13.2%

Medicare

10.7%

Non-Group

1.05%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Erie County, NY declined by 13.6% from 4.3% to 3.71%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Erie County, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 46.5 in Erie County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Erie County, NY.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.7% in Erie County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Erie County, NY.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function