Population 950,622 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Erie County
Household size in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.41 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.39 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.33 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.08 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Erie County is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The picture is much the same across the Buffalo area. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.40, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 40.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.9 | 41.2 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 41.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.6 | 42.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +1.6 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Erie County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.6, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.2, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 11.7% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Erie County (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Erie County has a higher share of single-parent households than most New York counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Erie County
Renters in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8% | 32.9% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.8% | 33.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.4% | 34.3% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 33.2% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +0.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Erie County is about as common as it is nationally: 34.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (45.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 10.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 8.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Erie County as nationally: 8.3%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.3 points, as it has nationally. Erie County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of New York counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Erie County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $736 | $728 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $797 | $783 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $895 | $873 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,156 | $1,126 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$420 | +$398 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Erie County pays $1,156 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $420 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Erie County
Bachelor's degrees in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 27.6% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.1% | 29.6% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.0% | 32.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.3% | 35.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Erie County as nationally: 37.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.1% | 88.2% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.7% | 89.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.3% | 91.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 91.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Erie County is a bit above the national rate: 91.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Buffalo area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.0% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Erie County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Erie County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie County | 2.34 | 41.6 | 11.5% | 34.2% | 8.3% | 1959 | $1,156 | 37.3% | 91.9% | 5.2% |
| Wyoming County | 2.24 | 44.7 | 9.1% | 24.1% | 9.3% | 1958 | $819 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 3.7% |
| Genesee County | 2.32 | 43.0 | 9.1% | 26.2% | 5.8% | 1955 | $924 | 23.9% | 92.9% | 4.7% |
| Livingston County | 2.33 | 43.1 | 8.6% | 23.7% | 10.9% | 1967 | $948 | 32.1% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Ontario County | 2.28 | 45.1 | 9.2% | 26.3% | 8.5% | 1973 | $1,220 | 38.2% | 93.5% | 3.6% |
| Seneca County | 2.33 | 44.0 | 8.5% | 29.0% | 16.0% | 1960 | $1,016 | 25.7% | 86.0% | 4.6% |
| Cayuga County | 2.32 | 44.3 | 12.1% | 28.6% | 13.5% | 1957 | $1,054 | 24.7% | 90.0% | 3.7% |
| Madison County | 2.32 | 42.5 | 9.5% | 21.7% | 13.9% | 1963 | $962 | 31.5% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| St. Clair County | 2.38 | 44.6 | 10.4% | 19.2% | 6.5% | 1975 | $1,066 | 20.3% | 91.9% | 5.6% |
| Montgomery County | 2.54 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 29.6% | 14.4% | 1954 | $917 | 23.3% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| Schenectady County | 2.39 | 40.2 | 11.6% | 36.0% | 7.4% | 1958 | $1,287 | 35.9% | 90.6% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Fresno County, CA · Bronx County, NY · Cuyahoga County, OH · Contra Costa County, CA · Alameda County, CA · Montgomery County, MD · Philadelphia County, PA · Middlesex County, MA · Allegheny County, PA · Pima County, AZ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Erie County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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