Erie County, PA

County

Add Comparison

Population

272,061

0.903% 1-year decline

US Senator

Bob Casey Jr.

Democratic Party

US Senator

Pat Toomey

Republican Party

Median Age

Poverty Rate

16.3%

Median Household Income

$48,007

5.15% 1-year decline

Median Property Value

$143,700

3.6% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

129,088

4.88% 1-year growth

About

In 2018, Erie County, PA had a population of 272k people with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $48,007. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Erie County, PA declined from 274,541 to 272,061, a -0.903% decrease and its median household income declined from $50,614 to $48,007, a -5.15% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (83.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (7.21%), White (Hispanic) (2.39%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.1%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.8%). NaNk% of the people in Erie County, PA speak a non-English language, and 97.4% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Erie County, PA are Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (1,495 degrees awarded in 2017), Gannon University (1,202 degrees), and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (1,201 degrees).

The median property value in Erie County, PA is $143,700, and the homeownership rate is 65.5%. Most people in Erie County, PA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 19.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Erie County, PA is 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

United States Pennsylvania Erie, PA

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.

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.

View Full Dashboard

Impact on Employment

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.

View Full Dashboard

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.

View Full Dashboard

Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Erie County, PA went to Donald J. Trump with 48.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (47%), followed by Other (4.45%). The most partisan county was Fulton County, PA with 84.1% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

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 Popular Vote Over Time

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (48.6%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (47%)
Democratic Party
Other (4.45%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 48.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (47%), followed by Other (4.45%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Pennsylvania for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Pennsylvania.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Erie County, PA

48.6% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Pennsylvania

Fulton County, PA
84.1% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Bedford County, PA
82.7% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Philadelphia County, PA
82.5% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Pennsylvania was Fulton County, PA with 84.1% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Pennsylvania colored by their party leaning.

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, colored by their political party.

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.

Diversity

Erie County, PA is home to a population of 272k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2018, 4.83% of Erie County, PA residents were born outside of the country (13.1k people).

In 2018, there were 11.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (228k people) in Erie County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 19.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.5k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Erie County, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
228k ± 701
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
19.6k ± 1.63k
White (Hispanic)
6.5k ± 1.37k

4.35%

Hispanic Population

11.8k people

4.35% of the people in Erie County, PA are hispanic (11.8k people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4.83%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

13.1k people

4.58%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

12.6k people

As of 2018, 4.83% of Erie County, PA residents (13.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Erie County, PA was 4.58%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.7

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 6.7

In 2018, the median age of all people in Erie County, PA was 40. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 40, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Erie County, PA are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Erie County, PA residents was 39.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

India
94,480 ± 7,519 people
Dominican Republic
85,267 ± 7,145 people
China
68,580 ± 6,412 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 94,480 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 85,267 and China with 68,580.

Citizenship

97.4%

2018 Citizenship

97.6%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 97.4% of Erie County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Erie County, PA was 97.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,469 ± 852
Gulf War (2001-)
3,731 ± 900
Gulf War (1990s)
1,646 ± 543

Erie County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.73 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Erie County, PA is $48,007. In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Erie County, PA was Census Tract 109.04 with a value of $116,984, followed by Census Tract 103.04 and Census Tract 103.03, with respective values of $101,983 and $83,080.

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,119. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.469, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Erie County, PA employs 129k people. The largest industries in Erie County, PA are Health Care & Social Assistance (24,425 people), Manufacturing (17,407 people), and Retail Trade (15,028 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($80,802), Finance & Insurance ($51,513), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,678).

Wages

Median Household Income

$48,007

2018 value

± $2,624

-5.15%

1 Year Growth

± 7.21%

Households in Erie County, PA have a median annual income of $48,007, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $50,614 in 2017, which represents a -5.15% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Erie County, PA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$69,779

Average Male Salary in Pennsylvania

± $1,106

$52,119

Average Female Salary in Pennsylvania

± $786

In 2018, full-time male employees in Pennsylvania made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Pennsylvania by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Pennsylvania

Asian
$67,044 ± $4,236
White
$54,569 ± $688
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
$45,677 ± $16,041

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Pennsylvania workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.23 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Pennsylvania.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Pennsylvania by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Erie County, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.469

2018 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.472

2017 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2018, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.469 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.472% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 109.04
Census Tract 103.04
Census Tract 103.03

In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Erie County, PA was Census Tract 109.04 with a value of $116,984, followed by Census Tract 103.04 and Census Tract 103.03, with respective values of $101,983 and $83,080.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

16.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Erie County, PA (42.8k out of 263k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
31,337 ± 1,202
Black
6,792 ± 549
Hispanic
4,790 ± 407

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

129k

2018 Value

± 5,442

4.88%

1 Year growth

± 5.71%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Erie County, PA grew at a rate of 4.88%, from 123k employees to 129k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Erie County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (15,274 people), Sales & Related Occupations (12,011 people), and Management Occupations (11,625 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Erie County, PA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Erie County, PA, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (15,274 people), Sales & Related Occupations (12,011 people), and Management Occupations (11,625 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Erie County, PA has an unusually high number of residents working as Healthcare Support Occupations (1.5 times higher than expected), Health Technologists & Technicians (1.4 times), and Production Occupations (1.32 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Erie County, PA, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($76,328), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($61,535), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($60,304).

Industries

Employment by Industries

129k

2018 Value

± 5,442

4.88%

1 Year growth

± 5.71%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Erie County, PA grew at a rate of 4.88%, from 123k employees to 129k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Erie County, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (24,425 people), Manufacturing (17,407 people), and Retail Trade (15,028 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Erie County, PA, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (24,425 people), Manufacturing (17,407 people), and Retail Trade (15,028 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Erie County, PA has an unusually high number of Manufacturing (1.38 times higher than expected), Health Care & Social Assistance (1.36 times), and Other Services, Except Public Administration (1.12 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Erie County, PA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($80,802), Finance & Insurance ($51,513), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,678).

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 2015, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $83B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($50.6B) and Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$618B

2015 Value in Pennsylvania

$954B

Projected 2045 Value in Pennsylvania

54.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $618B. This is expected to increase 54.4% to $954B by 2045.

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 York
$61B
New Jersey
$57.7B
Ohio
$33.1B

In 2015, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $61B, followed by New Jersey with $57.7B and Ohio and $33.1B.

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

Education

In 2017, universities in Erie County, PA awarded 6,462 degrees. The student population of Erie County, PA is skewed towards women, with 11,089 male students and 11,994 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Erie County, PA are White (4,944 and 82.2%), followed by Asian (362 and 6.02%), Black or African American (322 and 5.36%), and Hispanic or Latino (180 and 2.99%).

The largest universities in Erie County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (1,495 and 23.1%), Gannon University (1,202 and 18.6%), and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (1,201 and 18.6%).

The most popular majors in Erie County, PA are Osteopathic Medicine (556 and 8.6%), Pharmacy (277 and 4.29%), and General Business Administration & Management (257 and 3.98%).

The median tuition costs in Erie County, PA are $32,570 for private four year colleges, and $10,853 and $16,977 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
157 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
141 degree-majorss awarded
General Fine Studio Arts
126 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Erie County, PA was Registered Nursing with 157 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
1,495 degrees awarded
Gannon University
1,202 degrees awarded
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
1,201 degrees awarded

$10,853

Median In-State Public

$32,570

Median Private

In 2017, the Erie County, PA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with 1,495 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

2,991

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,471

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 2,991 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Erie County, PA, which is 0.862 times less than the 3,471 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Erie County, PA by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,944 degrees awarded
Asian
362 degrees awarded
Black or African American
322 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Erie County, PA were to White students. These 4,944 degrees mean that there were 13.7 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 362 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Erie County, PA was $143,700 in 2018, which is 0.626 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $138,700 to $143,700, a 3.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Erie County, PA is 65.5%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Erie County, PA have an average commute time of 19.2 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Erie County, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$143,700

2018 Median

± $5,463

$138,700

2017 Median

± $5,759

In 2018, the median property value in Erie County, PA grew to to $143,700 from the previous year's value of $138,700.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Erie County, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Erie County, PA the largest share of households have a property value in the $150k - $175k range.

Household Income

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

$48,007

Median Household Income

± $2,624

110k

Number of Households

± 4,898

In 2018, the median household income of the 110k households in Erie County, PA declined from $48,007 from the previous year's value of $50,614.

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.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Erie County, PA 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.

Rent vs Own

65.5%

2018 Homeownership

66.6%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 65.5% of the housing units in Erie County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.6%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Erie County, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

19.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Erie County, PA have a shorter commute time (19.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.11% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
79.5%
Carpooled
10.7%
Worked At Home
3.88%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Erie County, PA was Drove Alone (79.5%), followed by those who Carpooled (10.7%) and those who Worked At Home (3.88%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

Health

95.1% of the population of Erie County, PA has health coverage, with 47.5% on employee plans, 19.4% on Medicaid, 12.4% on Medicare, 14.3% on non-group plans, and 1.51% 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 1258 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.53% increase from the previous year (1227 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1501 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 569 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Fayette County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16%). Additionally, Clearfield County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.3%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,258 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Erie County, PA

Primary care physicians in Erie County, PA see an average of 1,258 patients per year. This represents a 2.53% increase from the previous year (1,227 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$9,258

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Pennsylvania

$4,634

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,407

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,243

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Pennsylvania (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.29%, from $8,877 to $9,258.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

4.94%

Uninsured

47.5%

Employer Coverage

19.4%

Medicaid

12.4%

Medicare

14.3%

Non-Group

1.51%

Military or VA

Between N/A and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Erie County, PA N/A by N/A from N/A% to 4.94%.

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.