Cost of living in Erie research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Erie is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Erie is 86, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Erie is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Erie ranks as the #28 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Erie ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Erie is $197,626.
The median income in Erie is $43,397.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Erie has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Erie has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 100.
The standard of living in Erie ranks as #28 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Erie ranks as the #227 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Erie, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Erie. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Erie is 95.
The Groceries index in Erie is 98.
The Health index in Erie is 90.
The Housing index in Erie is 55.
The Transportation index in Erie is 113.
The Utilities index in Erie is 109.
| Living Expense | Erie | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 95 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 90 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 55 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 113 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 108 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Erie is $197,626.
The Median Rent in Erie is $836.
The Median Income in Erie is $43,397.
The Home Value To Income in Erie is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Erie is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Erie | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $197,626 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $836 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $43,397 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.6x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Erie | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.42 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.18 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.76 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.02 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.08 | $45.56 |
| Item | Erie | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.35 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.33 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.52 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.46 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $9.45 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $8.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.63 | $3.7 |
| Item | Erie | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $99.22 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.54 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $103.83 | $113.29 |
| Item | Erie | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $79.53 | $59.92 |
| Item | Erie | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $218.99 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $196.0 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Erie. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Ashtabula, OH has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Erie.
Meadville, PA has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Erie.
Dunkirk, NY has a cost of living index of 79, 0.9x Erie.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Erie |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtabula, OH | 17,919 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Meadville, PA | 12,723 | 92 | 1.1x |
| Dunkirk, NY | 12,597 | 79 | 0.9x |
| Fredericksburg, TX | 11,254 | 113 | 1.3x |
| Fredonia, NY | 9,601 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Northwest Harborcreek, PA | 8,908 | 99 | 1.2x |
| Centerville, SC | 6,860 | 92 | 1.1x |
| Geneva, OH | 5,912 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Edinboro, PA | 5,303 | 98 | 1.1x |