Erie County | |
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 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofPennsylvania | |
 Pennsylvania's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:42°06′N80°06′W / 42.1°N 80.1°W /42.1; -80.1 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| Founded | November 7, 1803 |
| Named after | Erie people |
| Seat | Erie |
| Largest city | Erie |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,558 sq mi (4,040 km2) |
| • Land | 799 sq mi (2,070 km2) |
| • Water | 759 sq mi (1,970 km2) 49% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 270,876 |
| • Density | 339.1/sq mi (130.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 16th |
| Website | eriecountypa |
Erie County is the northernmostcounty in theCommonwealth ofPennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,876.[1] Itscounty seat isErie.[2] The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803.[3] The county is part of the Northwest Pennsylvania region of the state.[a]
Erie County was established on March 12, 1800, from part ofAllegheny County, which absorbed the lands of the disputedErie Triangle in 1792. Prior to 1792, the region was claimed by both New York and Pennsylvania and so no county demarcations were made until the federal government intervened. Other states have also tried to bid for the Erie Triangle but ultimately Pennsylvania purchased it and it was ceded to Pennsylvania.[4]
Since Erie County and its newly established neighboring Counties of Crawford,Mercer,Venango, and Warren were initially unable to sustain themselves, a five-county administrative organization was established at Crawford County'sMeadville to temporarily manage government affairs in the region. Erie first elected its own county officials in 1803.[5] Unfortunately, on March 23, 1823, the Erie County Courthouse burned and all county records to that point were destroyed.[6]
The county was originally settled by immigrants of "Yankee" stock (immigrants from New England and the western part of New York descended from the English Puritans whose ancestors settled New England in the colonial era). Erie County resembledUpstate New York more than it didPennsylvania with its population primarily consisting of settlers fromConnecticut,Rhode Island andMaine.[7] Roads were laid out, post routes established, public buildings erected and people were invited to move there. The original settlers were entirely ofNew England origins or wereYankees fromupstate New York whose families had moved to that place fromNew England only one generation earlier, in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. This resulted in Erie County being culturally very contiguous with earlyNew England culture.
Erie County was part of theUnderground Railroad giving slaves the ability to gain freedom through Lake Erie into Canada, East through New York State, or to stay in Erie with the help of abolitionists and the free black community.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,558 square miles (4,040 km2), of which 799 square miles (2,070 km2) is land and 759 square miles (1,970 km2) (49%) is water.[9] It is the largest county in Pennsylvania by total area. With the exception of a high ridge several miles from the lake, running nearly parallel with its shore, the terrain is generally rolling and well watered.[10] It is the only county in the state that occupies a significant amount of land north of the42nd parallel.
There are two cities in Erie County: the city of Erie and the city of Corry. Other notable population centers include Millcreek, Harborcreek, Summit and Fairview townships, and the boroughs of Edinboro, North East, Girard, Waterford and Union City. Erie County is bordered on the northeast byChautauqua County, New York, on the east byWarren County, on the south byCrawford County, and on the west byAshtabula County, Ohio. Directly north of the county isLake Erie. This position on the water makes Erie County the only county in Pennsylvania to share a border withCanada, which is located on the far shore of the lake.
Most of the county has a warm-summerhumid continental climate (Dfb), except at lower elevations near enough to the lake, where a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) exists. Average monthly temperatures in downtown Erie range from 26.4 °F in January to 70.8 °F in July, while in Corry they range from 23.8 °F in January to 68.2 °F in July.[11] Thehardiness zone in most of Erie County by area is 6a. It has warmed to 7a along the Lake and the area between the shore and a line a little south of Interstate 90 is 6b.[1]
Because of its location in the northwesternmost part of the state, Erie County is the only county to border bothNew York andOhio, and is also the only county in the state on theCanadian border.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 1,468 | — | |
| 1810 | 3,758 | 156.0% | |
| 1820 | 8,553 | 127.6% | |
| 1830 | 17,041 | 99.2% | |
| 1840 | 31,344 | 83.9% | |
| 1850 | 38,742 | 23.6% | |
| 1860 | 49,432 | 27.6% | |
| 1870 | 65,973 | 33.5% | |
| 1880 | 74,688 | 13.2% | |
| 1890 | 86,074 | 15.2% | |
| 1900 | 98,473 | 14.4% | |
| 1910 | 115,517 | 17.3% | |
| 1920 | 153,536 | 32.9% | |
| 1930 | 175,277 | 14.2% | |
| 1940 | 180,889 | 3.2% | |
| 1950 | 219,388 | 21.3% | |
| 1960 | 250,682 | 14.3% | |
| 1970 | 263,654 | 5.2% | |
| 1980 | 279,780 | 6.1% | |
| 1990 | 275,572 | −1.5% | |
| 2000 | 280,845 | 1.9% | |
| 2010 | 280,566 | −0.1% | |
| 2020 | 270,876 | −3.5% | |
| [12] | |||
According to the2010 census, there were 280,566 people, 110,413 households, and 70,196 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 351.2 inhabitants per square mile (135.6/km2). There were 119,138 housing units at an average density of 149.1 per square mile (57.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.2 percentWhite, 7.2 percentBlack or African American, 0.2 percentNative American, 1.1 percentAsian, 0.03 percentPacific Islander, 1.2 percent fromother races, and 2.1 percent from two or more races. A further 3.4 percent of the population wereHispanic or Latino of any race. 24.4% were ofGerman, 12.5%Polish, 12.3%Italian, 10.1%Irish, 6.5%English and 6.4%American ancestry.
Of the total number of household, 27.2 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4 percent weremarried couples living together, 13.2 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4 percent were non-families. 29.3 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.5 percent under the age of 20. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females there were 96.73 males.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 219,180 | 81% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 19,821 | 7.32% |
| Native American (NH) | 343 | 0.13% |
| Asian (NH) | 6,358 | 2.35% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 58 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 13,086 | 4.83% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 12,030 | 4.44% |
TheUnited States Office of Management and Budget[14] has designated Erie County as theErie, PAMetropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the2010 U.S. Census[15] the metropolitan area ranked 11th-most populous in Pennsylvania and the164th-most populous in the United States with a population of 280,566.
Erie County is part of the largerErie-Meadville, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Erie County as well asCrawford County to the south. TheCombined Statistical Area ranked seventh in Pennsylvania and102nd-most populous in the United States with a population of 369,331.
| 2023 rank | City | Type | 2023 estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Highest Population (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie | City | 92,957 | 94,852 | −2.00% | 138,440 (1960) |
| 2 | Millcreek | Township | 53,101 | 54,070 | −1.79% | 54,256 (2013) |
| 3 | Harborcreek | Township | 16,580 | 16,630 | −0.30% | 17,629 (2014) |
| 4 | Fairview | Township | 11,270 | 11,139 | +1.18% | 11,270 (2023) |
| 5 | Summit | Township | 7,273 | 7,339 | −0.90% | 7,339 (2020) |
| 6 | North East | Township | 6,439 | 6,529 | −1.38% | 7,702 (2000) |
| 7 | Corry | City | 6,075 | 6,208 | −2.14% | 7,911 (1950) |
| 8 | Edinboro | Borough | 5,821 | 4,963 | +17.29% | 7,736 (1990) |
Prior to1960, Erie County was primarily Republican in presidential elections, only backing Democratic Party candidates in four elections from1888 to1956. Since 1960, it has become primarily Democratic, with only five Republican wins in the county in presidential elections from 1960 to the present. Nevertheless, since the2016 presidential election, the county has become increasingly competitive, withDonald Trump narrowly winning the county that year, followed byJoe Biden narrowly flipping the county in2020, and most recently Trump reclaimed it 2024.[16] Since 1992, the county has voted for the statewide winner in presidential elections.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 68,866 | 49.91% | 67,456 | 48.89% | 1,657 | 1.20% |
| 2020 | 66,869 | 48.63% | 68,286 | 49.66% | 2,339 | 1.70% |
| 2016 | 60,069 | 48.01% | 58,112 | 46.44% | 6,948 | 5.55% |
| 2012 | 49,025 | 41.16% | 68,036 | 57.12% | 2,053 | 1.72% |
| 2008 | 50,351 | 39.25% | 75,775 | 59.07% | 2,145 | 1.67% |
| 2004 | 57,372 | 45.57% | 67,921 | 53.95% | 605 | 0.48% |
| 2000 | 49,027 | 43.64% | 59,399 | 52.88% | 3,909 | 3.48% |
| 1996 | 39,884 | 36.66% | 57,508 | 52.86% | 11,399 | 10.48% |
| 1992 | 39,283 | 33.35% | 56,381 | 47.86% | 22,140 | 18.79% |
| 1988 | 48,306 | 46.76% | 53,913 | 52.19% | 1,081 | 1.05% |
| 1984 | 55,860 | 51.12% | 52,471 | 48.02% | 935 | 0.86% |
| 1980 | 48,918 | 47.42% | 45,946 | 44.54% | 8,298 | 8.04% |
| 1976 | 49,641 | 46.20% | 55,385 | 51.55% | 2,413 | 2.25% |
| 1972 | 61,542 | 58.22% | 42,022 | 39.75% | 2,149 | 2.03% |
| 1968 | 43,134 | 43.20% | 51,604 | 51.68% | 5,109 | 5.12% |
| 1964 | 31,393 | 29.93% | 72,944 | 69.55% | 549 | 0.52% |
| 1960 | 51,525 | 48.82% | 53,723 | 50.90% | 295 | 0.28% |
| 1956 | 54,430 | 61.46% | 33,802 | 38.17% | 323 | 0.36% |
| 1952 | 48,836 | 56.89% | 36,619 | 42.66% | 391 | 0.46% |
| 1948 | 33,806 | 53.45% | 28,159 | 44.52% | 1,280 | 2.02% |
| 1944 | 35,247 | 51.40% | 32,912 | 47.99% | 419 | 0.61% |
| 1940 | 36,608 | 53.28% | 31,735 | 46.18% | 371 | 0.54% |
| 1936 | 25,607 | 39.18% | 33,042 | 50.56% | 6,706 | 10.26% |
| 1932 | 18,371 | 45.43% | 19,592 | 48.44% | 2,479 | 6.13% |
| 1928 | 30,542 | 60.97% | 19,278 | 38.48% | 277 | 0.55% |
| 1924 | 19,480 | 61.29% | 3,502 | 11.02% | 8,802 | 27.69% |
| 1920 | 19,465 | 63.68% | 6,311 | 20.65% | 4,793 | 15.68% |
| 1916 | 8,933 | 43.30% | 9,641 | 46.73% | 2,056 | 9.97% |
| 1912 | 4,958 | 26.93% | 5,633 | 30.60% | 7,817 | 42.47% |
| 1908 | 10,828 | 55.76% | 6,173 | 31.79% | 2,418 | 12.45% |
| 1904 | 11,951 | 62.84% | 5,119 | 26.92% | 1,948 | 10.24% |
| 1900 | 11,816 | 58.47% | 7,281 | 36.03% | 1,110 | 5.49% |
| 1896 | 11,819 | 54.74% | 9,210 | 42.65% | 563 | 2.61% |
| 1892 | 8,918 | 49.76% | 7,589 | 42.34% | 1,416 | 7.90% |
| 1888 | 9,372 | 54.23% | 7,111 | 41.15% | 798 | 4.62% |
| 1884 | 9,230 | 54.77% | 6,725 | 39.91% | 896 | 5.32% |
| 1880 | 8,752 | 55.12% | 6,471 | 40.76% | 654 | 4.12% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 65,603 | 47.94% | 67,868 | 49.60% | 3,371 | 2.46% |
The county seat of government is inErie. The county has a home-rule charter and is run by acounty executive. The current County Executive is Brenton Davis.[20] Davis assumed the office on January 3, 2022, following the retirement of County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. The remaining elected officials of the executive branch are the Erie County Controller, Erie County Coroner, Erie County District Attorney, Erie County Sheriff, and Erie County Clerk of Records.see latest list
| Name | Party | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Robison | Republican | 1978 | 1982 |
| Judith M. Lynch | Democratic | 1982 | 2002 |
| Richard Schenker | Republican | 2002 | 2006 |
| Mark A. DiVecchio | Democratic | 2006 | 2010 |
| Barry Grossman | Democratic | 2010 | 2014 |
| Kathleen Dahlkemper | Democratic | 2014 | 2022 |
| Brenton Davis | Republican | 2022 | Incumbent |
The judiciary is made up of nine judges serving the Erie County Court of Common Pleas and fifteen magisterial district judges serve the district courts. Court administration is managed by a district court administrator, deputy court administrator, and assistant court administrator. The Erie County Courthouse is located nearPerry Square in downtown Erie. Erie County also operates a County Prison, and a combined 911/Emergency Management Agency under the Erie County Department of Public Safety, which is located in Summit Township.
As of February 5, 2024, there are 173,388 registered voters in Erie County.[21]
Unlike most of northwestern Pennsylvania, Erie County tends to lean Democratic in statewide and national elections.
The county is considered abellwether politically.[22]
After years of advocacy on the issue, Erie County Council approved sponsorship of an Erie County Community College on June 28, 2017. Council Chairman Jay Breneman and colleagues Andre Horton, Kathy Fatica and Fiore Leone voted in favor of sponsoring the community college, which was later signed by County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. The County Executive's administration took the lead in presenting the proposal to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education for approval, supported by a cross-section of business, civic, labor, and community leaders.[23][24]
There are twoPennsylvania state parks in Erie County and both are on the shores ofLake Erie.
The foremost public library in Erie is part of the Erie County library system, which consists of five branches and abookmobile.[26] TheRaymond M. Blasco, M. D. Memorial Library, named for its benefactor, opened in 1996.[27] Now called the Main Library or the Erie County Public Library, is the third-largest library inPennsylvania.[28] It is connected to theErie Maritime Museum, both of which are part of a bayfront improvement project that includes theBayfront Convention Center and theBicentennial Tower on Dobbins Landing. The Main Library is praised for its waterfront views of thePresque Isle Bay, where the historicU.S. Brig Niagara is often located. The library was moved to this location approximately 25 years ago, from its previous home in the center of downtown Erie. The library's renovation directly contributed to the revitalization of the waterfront, which was previously underdeveloped.[29]
The second floor of the Main Library is home to an art collection, containing historic pieces like Summer Afternoon, Isle of Shoals byFrederick Childe Hassam. The display also features several local artists.[29] The library works with the International Institute of Erie (IIE) to offer tours of the library, a collection of foreign-language books, and other practical information about immigration processes.[29] The library also provides a heritage room where one can conductgenealogy research concerning their ancestors who resided in Erie County orNorthwest Pennsylvania.[30]
The four remaining libraries within the Erie County library system are the Edinboro Branch Library, Iroquois Avenue Branch Library, Lincoln Community Center Branch Library, and Millcreek Branch Library.[26] The other public libraries of Erie County include the Albion Area Public Library, Corry Public Library, McCord Memorial Library, Rice Avenue Public Library, Union City Public Library, and Waterford Public Library.[31]
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:cities,boroughs,townships, and, in at most two cases,towns. There are 38 incorporated municipalities in Erie County, including 2 cities, 14 boroughs, and 22 townships. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Erie County:
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by theU.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
The population ranking of the following table is based on the2010 census of Erie County.[15]
†county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | †Erie | City | 101,786 |
| 2 | Northwest Harborcreek | CDP | 8,949 |
| 3 | Corry | City | 6,605 |
| 4 | Edinboro | Borough | 6,438 |
| 5 | North East | Borough | 4,294 |
| 6 | Lawrence Park | CDP | 3,982 |
| 7 | Wesleyville | Borough | 3,341 |
| 8 | Union City | Borough | 3,320 |
| 9 | Girard | Borough | 3,104 |
| 10 | Lake City | Borough | 3,031 |
| 11 | Fairview | CDP | 2,348 |
| 12 | Penn State Erie (Behrend) | CDP | 1,629 |
| 13 | Waterford | Borough | 1,517 |
| 14 | Albion | Borough | 1,516 |
| 15 | Avonia | CDP | 1,205 |
| 16 | Cranesville | Borough | 638 |
| 17 | Platea | Borough | 430 |
| 18 | Mill Village | Borough | 412 |
| 19 | Wattsburg | Borough | 403 |
| 20 | McKean | Borough | 388 |
| 21 | Elgin | Borough | 218 |
Places adjacent to Erie County, Pennsylvania | |
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Municipalities and communities ofErie County, Pennsylvania,United States | ||
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