Erie County Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Erie County PA was $756 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Erie County was $745 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Erie County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Erie County rental vacancy rates, Erie County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Erie County.
Real Gross Rent in Erie County Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent | $951 | +0.74% | +3.03% |
| Erie County PA Median Gross Rent | $756 | -2.45% | +2.72% |
Erie County PA Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Erie County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $775 and is now $19 (2.45%) lower. Average gross rent for Erie County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $785 and is now $40 (5.10%) lower.
Real Gross Rent: Erie County PA Median, Erie County PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Erie County
| Date | US Median |
Pennsylvania Median |
Erie County PA Median |
Erie County PA Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $951 | $756 | $745 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $944 | $775 | $785 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $921 | $741 | $765 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $923 | $736 | $749 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $921 | $744 | $777 |
| 2014 | $986 | $895 | $733 | $735 |
| 2013 | $953 | $872 | $734 | $723 |
| 2012 | $940 | $849 | $698 | $738 |
| 2011 | $941 | $849 | $677 | $705 |
| 2010 | $955 | $853 | $700 | $708 |
| 2009 | $960 | $841 | $663 | $655 |
| 2007 | $927 | $805 | $658 | $654 |
| 2005 | $910 | $809 | $700 | $691 |
Erie County Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Erie County Pennsylvania was 5.19% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Erie County Pennsylvania
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.87% | -0.42% | -0.90% |
| Erie County PA | 5.19% | -3.30% | -1.88% |
Trends in Erie County PA Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Erie County peaked in 2007 at 10.98%. Since then it has fallen by 5.79% to 5.19%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Erie County PA, Pennsylvania, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Erie County
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Erie County PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 4.87% | 5.19% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 5.29% | 8.49% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 5.84% | 9.01% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 5.77% | 7.07% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 5.77% | 7.11% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 6.40% | 8.04% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 5.78% | 6.03% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 5.88% | 6.16% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 6.13% | 5.48% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 6.47% | 7.62% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 6.80% | 5.41% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 7.34% | 10.98% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 7.94% | 8.07% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Erie County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Erie County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.51% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Erie County Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Pennsylvania | 17.98% | -0.28% | -0.60% |
| Erie County PA | 17.51% | -1.51% | +0.28% |
Trends in Erie County PA Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Erie County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2018 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.02%. Since then it has fallen by 1.51% to 17.51%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Erie County PA, Pennsylvania, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Erie County Pennsylvania
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Erie County PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 17.98% | 17.51% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 18.26% | 19.02% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 18.10% | 17.05% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 18.58% | 17.23% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 18.70% | 17.75% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 19.12% | 18.28% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 19.11% | 18.88% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 18.69% | 16.91% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 18.78% | 17.92% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 18.58% | 17.67% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 17.88% | 16.28% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 16.92% | 15.85% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 17.43% | 16.67% |
Renter Fraction in Erie County Pennsylvania
You can calculate the renter fraction in Erie County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Erie County as a fraction of total Erie County households. In 2019 33.57% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Erie County Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Pennsylvania | 31.59% | +0.19% | +0.09% |
| Erie County PA | 33.57% | -0.88% | -0.41% |
Trends in the Erie County PA Renter Fraction
The Erie County household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 35.94% and is now 2.37% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Erie County PA, Pennsylvania, US
History of Erie County Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Erie County PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 31.59% | 33.57% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 31.40% | 34.45% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 31.70% | 33.44% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 31.50% | 33.98% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 31.28% | 35.94% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 31.17% | 33.67% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 31.05% | 31.87% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 31.09% | 34.56% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 30.51% | 33.77% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 29.87% | 33.26% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 29.48% | 30.22% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 28.36% | 28.93% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 28.52% | 30.32% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
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