Erie County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Erie County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Erie County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Erie County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,801 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,644 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.4% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.8% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Erie County is about 18% lower than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Erie County (3.8%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Erie County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania grew by 47.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,801 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Erie County
| Metric | Erie County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.539 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,874 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,976 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.6% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Erie County, it is 0.539, about the same as Pennsylvania's 0.537, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $381,430 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Erie County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2012, and was narrowest at 16% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $831 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Erie County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.9% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 6,997 people are unemployed in Erie County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Erie County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Erie County, Pennsylvania has fallen from 8.3% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.2% in 2013.
Erie County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Erie County, PA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 269,043 residents against a local median of 97,227. Nothing separates Erie County, PA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 6% above the local median at $63,801 against $59,980. Erie County, PA has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie County, PA | 269,043 | $63,801 #1/6 | 3.8%/yr #3/6 | 5.4% #3/6 | 0.539 #6/6 |
| Crawford County, PA | 82,709 | $60,428 | 3.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.524 |
| Ashtabula County, OH | 97,227 | $58,089 | 4.4%/yr | 6.6% | 0.524 |
| Chautauqua County, NY | 125,543 | $58,401 | 3.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.527 |
| Venango County, PA | 49,798 | $61,779 | 4.4%/yr | 5.6% | 0.493 |
| Mercer County, PA | 109,257 | $59,980 | 3.5%/yr | 5.3% | 0.533 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Erie County, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Pennsylvania, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Erie County, Pennsylvania.
How Wealthy Is Erie County, Pennsylvania?
Erie County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $63,801, about 18% lower than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
Are incomes growing in Erie County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania rose 47%, from $43,349 to $63,801. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Pennsylvania as a whole: +47% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Erie County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania was $61,793, up 4% from $59,443 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Erie County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Erie County, Pennsylvania was $53,124. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $63,801.
What is the Gini coefficient in Erie County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Erie County is 0.539. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Erie County, Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Erie County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2012, and was narrowest at 16% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $831 since 2009.
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