Erie County, Ohio Demographics 2026

Name: Erie County, Ohio Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Erie County, Ohio has a population of 74,581, the 34th most populous county in Ohio. The median household income is $71,993 and the median home value is $199,700. The poverty rate is 13.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Erie County Quick Facts

Population 74,581

Median Household Income $71,993

Median Home Value $199,700

Poverty Rate 13.0%

Unemployment Rate 5.3%

Median Age 45.3 years

Homeownership Rate 71.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 29.0%

High School Graduation 93.2%

Cities/Places 14

Population 74,581 34th of 88

Median Income $71,993 about the same as state

Poverty Rate 13.0%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Erie County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	74,938	74,581	-0.5%
Median household income	$68,431	$71,993	+5.2%
Median home value	$183,900	$199,700	+8.6%

Median Household Income

Erie

$71,993

$71,389

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Erie

$199,700

$214,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.8%

$25K-$50K 18.0%

$50K-$100K 31.4%

$100K+ 33.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

4.5%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.8%

$25K-$30K

4.6%

$30K-$35K

3.4%

$35K-$40K

2.5%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

6.9%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

14.0%

$100K-$125K

11.3%

$125K-$150K

7.9%

$150K-$200K

7.8%

$200K+

6.8%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

61.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.9%

Renter 28.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $933/mo 15.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.4%

18-34

19.1%

35-54

23.1%

55-74

28.3%

75+

10.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Erie County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Sandusky	24,606	$50,139	25.6%	$113,100
Bellevue	8,187	$53,875	18.9%	$152,800
Huron	6,757	$78,333	5.6%	$222,500
Milan	1,774	$97,973	7.1%	$193,100
Castalia	1,230	$55,455	36.6%	$186,300
Berlin Heights	1,089	$93,417	13.5%	$177,900
Bay View	622	$79,792	4.5%	$169,300
Whites Landing	386	$34,132	27.7%	$200,800
Bloomingville	302	$126,792	0.0%	$242,500
Mitiwanga	228	$78,651	0.0%	$284,400
Birmingham	132	N/A	12.9%	N/A
Kelleys Island	128	$82,917	3.2%	$346,400
Beulah Beach	126	$49,286	0.0%	N/A
Crystal Rock	104	$158,375	0.0%	$271,500

Explore Ohio Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Erie County is located in Ohio with a total population of 74,581. It is the 34th most populous county out of 88 in Ohio. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Erie County is 45.3 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 39.7 years. 10.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Erie County is $71,993. This is about the same as the state median of $71,389. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.0%. This is 2% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.3%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $199,700. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $214,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Erie County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Erie County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 8.2%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

29.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 31.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Erie County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Ohio and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Erie County, Ohio?

Erie County has a population of 74,581, making it the 34th most populous county in Ohio.

What is the median income in Erie County?

The median household income in Erie County is $71,993 with a poverty rate of 13.0%.

How many cities are in Erie County, Ohio?

Erie County contains 14 Census-designated places.