Erie County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 5% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 41% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 95% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
- top 5% for walkability
- top 7% for cost of living
- bottom 1% for annual snowfall
Erie County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 270,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and C for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, cost of living, and comfortable days. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and annual snowfall.
- The median home value in Erie County is $160k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Erie County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Erie County is $851 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Erie County has a violent crime rate of 920/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Erie County is 20 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
73%23%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.3 in
humid 91%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 93% of US counties
Home Value$160k50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$851better than 43% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$74kbetter than 8% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.71%better than 8% of US counties
Income Tax4.18%better than 74% of US counties
State 3.10% + Local 1.08%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.88%better than 27% of US counties
Unemployment5.5%better than 35% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.8 in52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall111.2 inbetter than 1% of US counties
Sunny Days206 daysbetter than 20% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days97 daysbetter than 89% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.1better than 16% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality84.5better than 85% of US counties
Violent Crime920/100kbetter than 40% of US counties
Property Crime1397/100kbetter than 28% of US counties
Community
Population270,49592nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.935th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2851st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9942nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.6%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.7%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.7%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.9%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 81% of US counties
Walkability10.9/20better than 95% of US counties
Airport Distance91 mibetter than 54% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.2%better than 68% of US counties
Amenities Nearby10.39better than 87% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 76% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Erie County an affordable place to live?
- Erie County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 93% of comparable areas. Median rent is $851.
- Is Erie County safe?
- Erie County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 920/100k (better than 40%). Property crime is 1397/100k.
- What is the weather like in Erie County?
- Erie County averages 72°F in July and 27°F in January, with 43.8 in of annual precipitation and about 206 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Erie County?
- Public-school quality in Erie County is above average, scoring better than 85% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Erie County?
- The average one-way commute in Erie County is 20 min.