Erie County, New York
Located in New York, Erie County has a population of 950,622 residents and a median age of 40.4 years, making it the #58 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.9%. The median home value is $233,800, and the median household income is $72,839, which is 3% below the national median.
Demographics
Erie County has a population of 950,622, making it the #58 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Erie County is $72,839, ranking #983 out of 3,222 counties — 3.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.9% and unemployment stands at 4.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Erie County is $233,800 (-17.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,090/mo and the homeownership rate is 65.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Erie County, 38.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 12.9% above the national average, ranking #344 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Erie County is 77.0 years. 15.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 4.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.6% of adults in Erie County smoke , 32.7% are obese , and 22.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 34.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Erie County is 7.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 9.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 5.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
17.9% of children in Erie County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 12.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Erie County is 67.4%. The mean commute time is 23.3 min, which is 15.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Erie County voted Democratic with a margin of 9.6%. The vote was 54.8% Dem / 45.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York has a total population of 950,622, making it the 58th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Erie County is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Erie County is $72,839, which ranks #983 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.9%.
The median home value in Erie County is $233,800, 17.1% below the national median. Renters in Erie County pay a median gross rent of $1,090 per month. The homeownership rate is 65.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Erie County, 38.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12.9% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 97.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.3 min.
Erie County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 72.3% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (12.1%) and Hispanic or Latino (6.4%).
All data for Erie County, New York comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.