Erie, PA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 269,544 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Erie, PA Metro Area

What is the median household income in Erie, PA Metro Area?: The median household income in Erie, PA Metro Area is $61,476 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Erie, PA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Erie, PA Metro Area is 10.7% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Erie, PA Metro Area?: $169,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Erie, PA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Erie, PA Metro Area is $876 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Erie, PA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 29.6% of adults in Erie, PA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

269,544

Median Income

$61,476

Median Home Value

$169,500

Poverty Rate

10.7%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.5%

Median Age

40.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$9,947 (+19.3%) Home Value: +$35,400 (+26.4%) Poverty Rate: -0.1 pp (-0.9%) Bachelor's+: +1.7 pp (+6.1%) Unemployment: +0.1 pp (+1.9%)

Demographics

Total Population 269,544

Median Age 40.0

Female 50.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 4.6% White (non-Hisp.) 82.3% Black 6.9% Asian 2.0% Two or More 6.2% Other 1.3%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.5%

Filipino

0.3%

Chinese

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Korean

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Puerto Rican

2.7%

Mexican

0.9%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $61,476 ±$1,408

Per Capita Income $83,670

Median Family Income $81,261

Poverty Rate 10.7%

Child Poverty Rate 17.6%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 18.8%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 29.0%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.7%

$10–15k

4.7%

$15–25k

9.2%

$25–35k

9.5%

$35–50k

12.3%

$50–75k

17.2%

$75–100k

13.3%

$100–150k

15.1%

$150–200k

6.8%

$200k+

6.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 120,019

Owner-Occupied 68.3%

Renter-Occupied 31.7%

Vacancy Rate 8.3%

Median Home Value $169,500

Median Gross Rent $876

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.6%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 41.9%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

8.6%

$50–100k

14.9%

$100–200k

19.6%

$200–300k

22.8%

$300–500k

12.4%

$500k–$1M

3.4%

$1M+

0.6%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

11.4%

$500–1k

50.9%

$1–1.5k

28.2%

$1.5–2k

7.0%

$2–2.5k

1.3%

$2.5–3.5k

0.6%

$3.5k+

0.5%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

10.2%

1 vehicle

38.4%

2 vehicles

36.0%

15.4%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

68.0%

Single-fam. att.

4.1%

2–4 units

7.5%

5–19 units

3.3%

20+ units

5.6%

Mobile home

4.8%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

24.6%

1940–1969

7.8%

1970–1999

14.9%

2000–2009

7.4%

2010+

4.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 92.6%

Bachelor's or Higher 29.6%

Graduate Degree 11.1%

Some College / Associate 15.4%

Less Than High School 2.2%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 59.1%

Unemployment Rate 5.5%

Work from Home 8.2%

Self-Employed 4.7%

Government Workers 12.3%

Private For-Profit 82.9%

Industry

Edu/Health

28.4%

Manufacturing

15.5%

Retail

10.5%

Arts/Entmt.

8.9%

Prof. Services

7.7%

Finance

7.0%

Construction

4.9%

Transportation

4.7%

Public Admin

3.5%

Wholesale

1.8%

Information

1.0%

Agriculture

0.8%

Occupation

Management

38.1%

Food Prep

20.0%

Sales

19.1%

Production

16.0%

Construction

6.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 19.9 min

Drove Alone 76.4%

Carpool 9.3%

Public Transit 1.1%

Work from Home 8.2%

Walked 3.2%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 110,106

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 42.8%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 14.1%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.2%

5–9

5.8%

10–14

6.1%

15–19

7.0%

20–24

6.7%

25–34

12.6%

35–44

11.9%

45–54

11.8%

55–64

6.6%

65–74

7.1%

75–84

11.5%

85+

5.5%

Under 18: 20.9% Working age (18–64): 79.1% 65 and over: 19.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 4.4%

Naturalized Citizen 57.5%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 2.5%

Foreign-Born Origin

Asia

44.9%

Europe

29.3%

Latin America

13.1%

Africa

9.2%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 7.3%

With a Disability 15.8%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 95.9%

Uninsured 4.1%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 87.5%

Has a Computer 92.9%

Same House 1 Year Ago 87.6%

Moved from Abroad 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023