Erie County, Pennsylvania Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 15th-largest in Pennsylvania

The population of Erie County, Pennsylvania is 269,544 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 15th-largest county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $61,476, the median home value is $169,500, and the median age is 40.1.

The population of Erie County has declined 4.7% since 2010 (280,809 → 267,750), a -0.34% annualized rate.

Erie County within Pennsylvania · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

269,544

Population

-0.34%

Annual growth

337

People / sq mi

$61,476

Median Income

$169,500

Median Home Value

Erie County covers 799 sq mi of land at 337.4 people per square mile.

About Erie County, PA

Erie County is a county in Pennsylvania with a population of 269,544. It ranks #15 among counties in Pennsylvania by population. The median age is 40.1, older than the national median. The population is 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

The median household income in Erie County is $61,476, below the US median of $74,580. 10.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $169,500, with monthly rent averaging $876. The homeownership rate of 68.3% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Erie County reflects 29.6% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.2% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 19.9 minutes each way.

Erie County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Erie County had a population of 280,809 in 2010 and 267,750 in 2024, a -4.7% growth over 14 years. The peak was 281,416 in 2012. Average annual growth rate: -0.34%.

267,750

Population (2024)

280,809

Population (2010)

281,416

Peak (2012)

-0.34%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	280,809	-	-	estimate
2011	281,244	+435	+0.15%	estimate
2012	281,416	+172	+0.06%	estimate
2013	280,905	-511	-0.18%	estimate
2014	279,660	-1,245	-0.44%	estimate
2015	278,452	-1,208	-0.43%	estimate
2016	276,639	-1,813	-0.65%	estimate
2017	273,855	-2,784	-1.01%	estimate
2018	271,780	-2,075	-0.76%	estimate
2019	269,529	-2,251	-0.83%	estimate
2020	270,739	+1,210	+0.45%	estimate
2021	269,455	-1,284	-0.47%	estimate
2022	269,112	-343	-0.13%	estimate
2023	268,203	-909	-0.34%	estimate
2024	267,750	-453	-0.17%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	83.5%
Black or African American	6.9%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

40.1

Median Age

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

19.2%

Age 65+

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%

55–59

6.6%

60–64

7.1%

65–74

11.5%

75–84

5.5%

85+

2.2%

Children (under 15): 17.1% · Seniors (65+): 19.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$61,476$-14,605 vs state
Mean household income	$82,408
Per-capita income	$34,285
Poverty rate	10.7%+2.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.3%
Employment-to-population	55.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

28.4%

Manufacturing

15.5%

Education & health care

8.9%

Finance & real estate

7.7%

Information

7.0%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.1%

Construction

4.9%

Retail trade

4.7%

The largest employment sector in Erie County is professional & business services, accounting for 28.4% of workers.

How residents commute

1.1%

Drive alone

3.2%

Carpool

76.4%

Public transit

8.2%

Work from home

19.9 min

Avg commute

Housing

$169,500$-71,000 vs state

Median home value

$876

Median rent

68.3%

Homeownership rate

120,019

Total housing units

91.7%

Occupied

8.3%

Vacant

31.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.9%

With health insurance

92.9%

With broadband internet

16.8%

Foreign-born

7.3%

Veterans (18+)

15.8%

With a disability

93.4%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

92.6%

High School+

29.6%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (1,582,432)Pittsburgh (303,620)Allentown (125,320)Reading (94,836)Erie (94,156)Bethlehem (77,069)Scranton (76,074)Lancaster (57,683)Levittown (50,930)Harrisburg (50,092)All Pennsylvania cities →

Other counties in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia County (1,582,432)Allegheny County (1,240,476)Montgomery County (861,225)Bucks County (645,993)Delaware County (576,195)Lancaster County (555,151)Chester County (540,896)York County (459,312)Berks County (429,989)Lehigh County (375,408)All Pennsylvania counties →

Part of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania demographic profile All Pennsylvania data →

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (6,241,882)Pittsburgh (2,443,921)Allentown (866,764)Harrisburg (597,894)Scranton (567,887)Lancaster (555,151)York (459,312)Reading (429,989)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Erie County, Pennsylvania has a population of 269,544 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 15th-largest county in Pennsylvania. Population density is 337 people per square mile.

The population of Erie County has declined 4.7% since 2010 (280,809 → 267,750), a -0.34% annualized rate.

The median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania is $61,476, with mean (average) household income of $82,408 and per-capita income of $34,285. 10.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Erie County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (83.5%), Black or African American (6.9%), Hispanic or Latino (0.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Erie County, Pennsylvania is 40.1 years. Residents are 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median home value in Erie County is $169,500 and median monthly rent is $876. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 120,019 total housing units, 8.3% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Erie County, Pennsylvania is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 28.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.3%.

Philadelphia is among the largest cities associated with Erie County, Pennsylvania, with a population of 1,582,432.