Erie County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 5% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 56% 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 property tax rate and annual snowfall.
Official websiteeriecountypa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
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warm
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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$1kbetter than 44% 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
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.
- What is the median home value in Erie County?
- The median home value in Erie County is $160k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Erie County?
- Median household income in Erie County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Erie County?
- Median gross rent in Erie County is $851 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- 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.
Other counties in Pennsylvania
Explore Pennsylvania
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)