Erie County, PA

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

272,046

0.653% 1-year decline

US Senator

Bob Casey Jr.

Democratic Party

US Senator

Pat Toomey

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

39.7

0% 1-year change

2020 Poverty Rate

15.5%

3.26% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$52,863

2.59% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$138,500

3.28% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

125,598

0.767% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Erie County, PA had a population of 272k people with a median age of 39.7 and a median household income of $52,863. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Erie County, PA declined from 273,835 to 272,046, a −0.653% decrease and its median household income grew from $51,529 to $52,863, a 2.59% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (83.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.84%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.66%), White (Hispanic) (1.98%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.83%).

None of the households in Erie County, PA 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.

97.8% of the residents in Erie County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Erie County, PA are Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (1,371 degrees awarded in 2020), Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (1,260 degrees), and Gannon University (1,075 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Erie County, PA was $138,500, and the homeownership rate was 67%.

Most people in Erie County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Erie County, PA was 2 cars per household.

Erie County, PA borders Chautauqua County, NY, Ashtabula County, OH, Crawford County, PA, and Warren County, PA.

About the photo: Erie Harbor Pierhead Lighthouse, Erie, PA

Photo by Andrej Baran

Population & Diversity

Erie County, PA is home to a population of 272k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2020, 4.44% of Erie County, PA residents were born outside of the country (12.1k people).

In 2020, there were 12.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (228k people) in Erie County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 18.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 7.25k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2020 Citizenship

97.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 97.8% of Erie County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Erie County, PA was 97.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
228k ± 552
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.6k ± 710
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
7.25k ± 826

4.4%

Hispanic Population

12k people

4.4% of the people in Erie County, PA are hispanic (12k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Erie County, PA 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 Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

India
92,750 ± 7,450 people
Dominican Republic
72,397 ± 6,587 people
China
65,642 ± 6,274 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 92,750 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 72,397 and China with 65,642.

Foreign-Born Population

4.44%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

12.1k people

4.35%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

11.9k people

As of 2020, 4.44% of Erie County, PA residents (12.1k 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, PA was 4.35%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,613 ± 368
Gulf War (2001-)
2,892 ± 455
Gulf War (1990s)
2,212 ± 312

Erie County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.29 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Erie County, PA employs 126k people. The largest industries in Erie County, PA are Health Care & Social Assistance (23,181 people), Manufacturing (19,948 people), and Retail Trade (13,434 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($70,865), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($53,894), and Public Administration ($50,021).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $54,196. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

126k

2020 Value

± 2,621

−0.767%

1 Year decline

± 2.78%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Erie County, PA declined at a rate of −0.767%, from 127k employees to 126k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Erie County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,276 people), Management Occupations (11,990 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (11,776 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Erie County, PA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

126k

2020 Value

± 2,621

−0.767%

1 Year decline

± 2.78%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Erie County, PA declined at a rate of −0.767%, from 127k employees to 126k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Erie County, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (23,181 people), Manufacturing (19,948 people), and Retail Trade (13,434 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Erie County, PA, though some of these residents may live in Erie County, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,967

Median earning men ± $935

$27,828

Median earning women ± $1,279

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($57,166), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,438), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,216).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($41,607), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($41,470), and Wholesale Trade ($36,324).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

3,082
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,116
Manufacturing
1,290
Other Services, Except Public Administration

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

$4.88M
Manufacturing
$3.46M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.17M
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 Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $110B, followed by Mixed freight ($74.2B) and Electronics ($44.2B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$734B

2020 Value in Pennsylvania

$1.46T

Projected 2050 Value in Pennsylvania

99.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $734B. This is expected to increase 99.3% to $1.46T by 2050.

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

Interstate Trade

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

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$73.5B
New York
$71.1B
Ohio
$36.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $73.5B, followed by New York with $71.1B and Ohio and $36.8B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Erie County, PA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 49.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (48.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.41%).

Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 18 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. (49.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (48.8%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.41%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Erie County, PA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 49.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (48.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.41%).

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

Senators Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

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

Bob Casey Jr.

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Pat Toomey

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

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 Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 18 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 Pennsylvania have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Erie County, PA awarded 4,890 degrees. The student population of Erie County, PA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 6,621 male students and 10,232 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Erie County, PA are White (3,616 and 77.3%), followed by Asian (320 and 6.84%), Black or African American (275 and 5.88%), and Hispanic or Latino (242 and 5.17%).

The largest universities in Erie County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (1,371 and 28%), Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (1,260 and 25.8%), and Gannon University (1,075 and 22%).

The most popular majors in Erie County, PA are Pharmacy (273 and 5.58%), Social Work (240 and 4.91%), and Other Health Preparatory Programs (216 and 4.42%).

The median tuition costs in Erie County, PA are $34,575 for private four year colleges, and $7,716 and $11,574 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Erie County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 83.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 16,853 (39.3% men and 60.7% 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 2020 there were 16,853 students enrolled in Erie County, PA, 39.3% men and 60.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 12,149 records, of which 62.3% were women and 37.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
129 degree-majors awarded
General Fine Studio Arts
105 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
98 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Erie County, PA was Registered Nursing with 129 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
1,371 degrees awarded
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
1,260 degrees awarded
Gannon University
1,075 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with 1,371 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 1,918 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Erie County, PA, which is 0.645 times less than the 2,972 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,616 degrees mean that there were 11.3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 320 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 ($34,575) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,828) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($2,252) 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 Pennsylvania.

Measure

In 2020, 0.658% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.701% 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 Pennsylvania.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (3.5M), Bachelors Degree (1.89M), and Some college (1.84M).

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, PA was $138,500 in 2020, which is 0.603 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $134,100 to $138,500, a 3.28% increase. The homeownership rate in Erie County, PA is 67%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Erie County, PA have an average commute time of 19.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Erie County, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Erie County, PA is $52,863. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Erie County, PA was Census Tract 109.04 with a value of $131,607, followed by Census Tract 103.04 and Census Tract 103.03, with respective values of $97,159 and $89,800.

In 2021, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Erie County, PA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 0.221%.

Housing

Property

$138,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$2,510

$73,941

Median Property Taxes

±$1,811

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, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

67%

Homeownership

2020

61.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 67% of the housing units in Erie County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Erie County, PA 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 109.04
Census Tract 103.04
Census Tract 103.03

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Erie County, PA was Census Tract 109.04 with a value of $131,607, followed by Census Tract 103.04 and Census Tract 103.03, with respective values of $97,159 and $89,800.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Erie County, PA 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.

$52,863

Median Household Income

± $1,284

110k

Number of Households

± 2,418

In 2020, the median household income of the 110k households in Erie County, PA grew to $52,863 from the previous year's value of $51,529.

The following chart displays the households in Erie County, PA 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, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.469

2019 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2020, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.614% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Carpooled (10.7%)
Worked At Home (4.58%)

In 2020, 78.5% of workers in Erie County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.7%) and those who worked at home (4.58%).

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

19.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Erie County, PA have a shorter commute time (19.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.47% of the workforce in Erie County, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Erie County, PA 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, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Erie County, PA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Erie County, PA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 0.221%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Erie County, PA (40.1k out of 259k 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 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Erie County, PA 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 2021, 24.2% of the children was living in poverty in Erie County, PA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 1.2%.

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 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 225 in Erie County, PA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 31.4 per 100,000 population.

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

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Health

95.5% of the population of Erie County, PA has health coverage, with 47.7% on employee plans, 20.2% on Medicaid, 13% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 1.32% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Pennsylvania was $9,258 in 2014. This is a 4.29% increase from the previous year ($8,877).

Primary care physicians in Erie County, PA see 1231 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.69% decrease from the previous year (1265 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1405 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 469 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Pennsylvania. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Pennsylvania, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,231 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Erie County, PA

Primary care physicians in Erie County, PA see an average of 1,231 patients per year. This represents a 2.69% decrease from the previous year (1,265 patients).

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

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Pennsylvania across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.3% under 18 years, 21.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.46%

Uninsured

47.7%

Employer Coverage

20.2%

Medicaid

13%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

1.32%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Erie County, PA declined by 2.49% from 4.57% to 4.46%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 49.5 in Erie County, PA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 33.2% in Erie County, PA.

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

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