Population 74,581 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Erie County
Household size in Erie County
| Period | Erie County | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Erie County are small: just 2.26 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.39, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Ohio county has smaller households.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Erie County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.0, mirroring the country. Few Ohio counties are older: only three of 88.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Erie County (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.9 points, even as the national share fell. Erie County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Ohio 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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.8% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Erie County own their homes; 28.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Erie County than nationally: 13.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Erie County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the northwest.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $706 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $767 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $799 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $947 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$240 | +$377 | +$606 |
Rent in Erie County runs $947 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $240 a month from 2006–10, a 34% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the west.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.7% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Erie County (27.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.7% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.0% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Erie County is above the national rate: 93.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Ohio. The share with a diploma is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Erie County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 points since 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 | 2.26 | 45.2 | 12.9% | 28.1% | 13.2% | 1966 | $947 | 27.7% | 93.0% | 5.1% |
| Sandusky County | 2.38 | 43.1 | 13.2% | 26.6% | 8.3% | 1961 | $811 | 18.6% | 93.5% | 4.2% |
| Ottawa County | 2.17 | 49.6 | 9.3% | 16.4% | 25.1% | 1970 | $918 | 28.9% | 94.5% | 3.2% |
| Lorain County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 10.7% | 26.0% | 6.8% | 1976 | $1,190 | 29.3% | 91.8% | 4.3% |
| Cuyahoga County | 2.30 | 41.7 | 13.2% | 40.6% | 9.7% | 1959 | $1,234 | 36.9% | 91.4% | 6.9% |
| Wood County | 2.37 | 38.9 | 8.1% | 35.6% | 7.1% | 1979 | $1,135 | 37.9% | 95.0% | 4.4% |
| Geauga County | 2.76 | 44.6 | 5.7% | 12.8% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,361 | 40.7% | 90.2% | 2.9% |
| Henry County | 2.41 | 43.0 | 8.7% | 17.5% | 6.2% | 1964 | $935 | 19.9% | 93.0% | 3.9% |
| Fulton County | 2.49 | 41.6 | 9.0% | 19.8% | 5.8% | 1969 | $908 | 20.3% | 94.6% | 3.8% |
| Williams County | 2.37 | 41.9 | 13.0% | 23.7% | 6.5% | 1965 | $796 | 13.9% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| DeKalb County | 2.62 | 39.9 | 11.9% | 17.9% | 8.9% | 1974 | $912 | 20.3% | 92.5% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jackson County, GA · Starr County, TX · St. Landry Parish, LA · Ross County, OH · Rockingham County, VA · Putnam County, FL · Lea County, NM · Lauderdale County, MS · Klamath County, OR · Jones County, MS
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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