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United Way of Erie County utilizes American Community Survey data from the US Census Bureau to analyze poverty rates for Erie County. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, estimates for 2020 were only released on a state-wide basis. When the US Census Bureau releases updated data, United Way will update poverty rates on this webpage. The 2019 data is most up to date at this time.
2014 Federal Poverty household income was $11,670 (individual) and $23,850 (family of four)
2016 Federal Poverty household income was $11,880 (individual) and $24,300 (family of four)
2017 Federal Poverty household income is $12,060 (individual) and $24,600 (family of four)
2018 Federal Poverty household income is $12,140 (individual) and $25,100 (family of four)
2019 Federal Poverty household income is $12,490 (individual) and $25,750 (family of four)
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| Population for whom poverty status is determined | United States
Percent below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
Below Poverty Line |
Erie County
Below Poverty Line |
City of Erie
Below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 38,231,474 (13.3%) | 1,420,396 (11.9%) | 37,649 (14.2%) | 18,390 (20.2%) |
| 2006 | 38,757,253 (13.3%) | 1,448,228 (12.1%) | 44,219(16.5%) | 26,586 (26.1%) |
| 2007 | 38,757,253 (13%) | 1,393,026 (11.6%) | 38,410 (14.5%) | 22,534 (24.6%) |
| 2008 | 39,108,822 (13.2%) | 1,458,394 (12.1%) | 38,591 (14.5%) | 22,705 (24.2%) |
| 2009 | 42,868,163 (14.3%) | 1,516,705 (12.1%) | 43,311 (15.8%) | 22,683 (23.1%) |
| 2010 | 46,215,956 (15.3%) | 1,648,184 (13.4%) | 46,718 (17.4%) | 29,484 (30.2%) |
| 2011 | 48,452,035 (15.9%) | 1,6951,996 (13.8%) | 44,205 (16.4%) | 27,270 (28%) |
| 2012 | 48,760,123 (15.9%) | 1,693,285 (13.7%) | 42,462 (22%) | 24,725 (25.7%) |
| 2013 | 48,810,818 (15.8%) | 1,690,405 (13.7%) | 49,005 (18.3%) | 28,114 (29.2%) |
| 2014 | 48,208,387 (15.5%) | 1,682,212 (13.6%) | 43,438 (16.3%) | 23,944 (25.1%) |
| 2015 | 46,153,077 (14.7%) | 1,629,995 (13.2%) | 46,429 (17.5%) | 25,572 (26.9%) |
| 2016 | 44,268,996 (14%) | 1,592,045 (12.9%) | 41,799 (15.9%) | 25,499 (27.3%) |
| 2017 | 42,583,651 (13.8%) | 1,548,720 (12.5%) | 41,865 (16%) | 24,843 (26.9%) |
| 2018 | 41,852,315 (13.1%) | 1,517,870 (12.2%) | 40.132 (15.5%) | 24,614 (27.1%) |
| 2019 | 39,490,096 (12.3%) | 1,489,333 (12.0%) | 44,656 (17.4%) | 25,678 (28.5%) |
| Employed
Living In Poverty |
United States
below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
below Poverty Level |
Erie County below Poverty Level | City of Erie
below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 8,517,030 (6.2%) | 283,421 (5.0%) | 7,887 (6.4%) | 3,573 (8.8%) |
| 2006 | 8,733,238 (6.2%) | 294,886 (5.1%) | 9,600 (7.6%) | 5,391 (11.8%) |
| 2007 | 8,468,565 (6.0%) | 282,188 (4.8%) | 7,856 (6.2%) | 4,523 (11.0%) |
| 2008 | 9,040,908 (6.2%) | 318,331 (5.3%) | 8,264 (6.6%) | 4,922 (11.4%) |
| 2009 | 9,250,760 (6.6%) | 291,321 (5.0%) | 8,983 (7.1%) | 5,650 (12.4%) |
| 2010 | 9,759,572 (7.1%) | 321,796 (5.6%) | 9,518 (7.7%) | 5,464 (12.8%) |
| 2011 | 10,307,891 (7.4%) | 314,832 (5.4%) | 11,538 (9.1%) | 6,331 (14.7%) |
| 2012 | 10,552,413 (7.4%) | 333,576 (5.7%) | 8,670 (6.9%) | 4,122 (9.7%) |
| 2013 | 10,872,843 (7.5%) | 339,277 (5.7%) | 9,561 (7.5%) | 5,131 (12.0%) |
| 2014 | 11,066,384 (7.5%) | 348,891 (5.8%) | 9,527 (7.7%) | 5,159 (12.3%) |
| 2015 | 10,532,329 (7.0%) | 342,411 (5.7%) | 10,418 (8.3%) |
5,605 (13.0%) |
| 2016 | 10,077,653 (6.6%) | 336,192 (5.6%) | 8,753 (6.9%) | 4,640 (11.5%) |
| 2017 | 9,512,092 (6.2%) | 317,533 (5.2%) | 7,719 (6.4%) | 4,595 (11.6%) |
| 2018 | 9,350,818 (6.0%) | 424,942 (6.5%) | 10,650 (8.3%) | 6,665 (15.5%) |
| 2019 | 2,090,290 (28.3%) | 84,102 (28.9%) | 2,197 (34.9%) | 1,575 (46.2%) |
| Unemployed
Living in Poverty |
United States
below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
below Poverty Level |
Erie County below Poverty Level | City of Erie
below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 2,942,831 (29.1%) | 105,947 (26.0%) | 2,471 (25.6%) | 1,425 (35.2%) |
| 2006 | 2,744,987 (28.7%) | 101,372 (26.6%) | 3,076 (31.8%) | 1,833 (43.1%) |
| 2007 | 2,636,143 (27.8%) | 98,540 (27.0%) | 2,207 (29.7%) | 1,379 (45.0%) |
| 2008 | 2,782,629 (28.3%) | 103,004 (28.5%) | 2,727 (27.5%) | 1,282 (28.2%) |
| 2009 | 4,182,911 (27.4%) | 146,306 (25.2%) | 4,709 (35.6%) | 2,029 (38.1%) |
| 2010 | 4,978,163 (29.8%) | 157,763 (25.9%) | 3,946 (31.1%) | 2,630 (44.5%) |
| 2011 | 5,179,420 (32.6%) | 169,515 (28.5%) | 3,061 (21.2%) | 2,022 (32.1%) |
| 2012 | 4,872,011 (33.3%) |
171,072 (30.2%) | 4,229 (34.8%) | 2,324 (48.0%) |
| 2013 | 4,438,490 (33.6%) | 165,442 (31.1%) | 3,424 (34.4%) | 2,657 (55.2%) |
| 2014 | 3,854,681 (33.9%) | 145,960 (32.5%) | 3,018 (32.6%) | 1,643 (40.3%) |
| 2015 | 3,287,344 (33.0%) | 122,866 (30.7%) | 2,556 (29.3%) | 1,381 (40.4%) |
| 2016 | 2,872,590 (31.3%) | 112,047 (30.5%) | 3,845 (49.8%) | 2,730 (61.0%) |
| 2017 | 2,590,535 (30.4%) | 101,502 (29.8%) | 2,835 (35.2%) | 2,139 (53.6%) |
| 2018 | 2,393,406 (30.0%) | 90,329 (28.7%) | 1,655 (29.2%) | 1,196 (38.5%) |
| White
Population living in Poverty |
United States
below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
below Poverty Level |
Erie County below Poverty Level | City of Erie
below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 22,370,834 (10.4%) | 929,560 (9.2%) | 32,217 (13.3%) | 13,625 (19.0%) |
| 2006 | 22,657,417 (10.5%) | 935,550 (9.3%) |
32,862 (13.6%) | 16,176 (20.2%) |
| 2007 | 22,283,845 (10.2%) | 898,087 (8.9%) | 29,647 (12.3%) | 14,742 (20.0%) |
| 2008 | 23,934,719 (10.7%) | 965,972 (9.6%) | 28,994 (12.1%) | 14,178 (19.0%) |
| 2009 | 26,270,749 (11.7%) | 991,860 (9.7%) | 34,948 (14.4%) | 16,180 (20.5%) |
| 2010 | 27,951,752 (12.5%) | 1,076,294 (10.6%) | 34,464 (14.4%) | 18,860 (25.0%) |
| 2011 | 29,260,632 (13.0%) | 1,086,711 (10.7%) | 32,228 (13.5%) | 16,250 (22.0%) |
| 2012 | 29,493,814 (13.0%) | 1,078,384 (10.6%) | 28,900 (12.3%) | 12,402 (17.8%) |
| 2013 | 29,701,062 (13.0%) | 1,081,639 (10.7%) | 37,390 (15.8%) | 18,495 (25.6%) |
| 2014 | 29,193,983 (12.8%) | 1,068,947 (10.6%) | 33,084 (14.2%) | 14,900 (21.5%) |
| 2015 | 28,027,149 (12.2%) | 1,036,697 (10.3%) | 35,409 (15.1%) | 16,123 (22.9%) |
| 2016 | 26,653,418 (11.6%) | 1,015,549 (10.1%) | 30,673 (13.2%) | 15,769 (22.3%) |
| 2017 | 25,668,489 (11.1%) | 1,014,213 (10.1%) | 28,978 (12.7%) | 15,521 (22.9%) |
| 2018 | 25,230,693 (10.9%) | 937,874 (9.4%) | 29,332 (13.0%) | 15,031 (22.5%) |
| 2019 | 23,828,085 (10.3%) | 922,707 (9.3%) | 31,826 (14.4%) | 14,837 (23.2%) |
| African American
Population Living in Poverty |
United
States below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
below Poverty Level |
Erie County below Poverty Level | City of Erie
below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 8,889,138 (25.6%) | 353,255 (29.4%) | N/A | N/A |
| 2006 | 8,968,940 (25.3%) | 351,178 (29.0%) | 7,698 (47.8%) | 7,594 (49.3%) |
| 2007 | 8,806,842 (24.7%) | 322,289 (26.7%) | 4,508 (34.4%) | 3,944 (34.0%) |
| 2008 | 8,661,570 (24.1%) | 332,244 (27.4%) | 7,023 (46.0%) | 6,588 (47.7%) |
| 2009 | 9,407,955 (25.8%) | 353,136 (28.4%) | 4,474 (31.6%) | 4,345 (33.3%) |
| 2010 | 10,099,631 (27.1%) | 367,398 (28.4%) | 8,313 (44.7%) | 7,488 (45.5%) |
| 2011 | 10,543,367 (28.1%) | 392,487 (30.4%) | 7,223 (40.0%) | 6,862 (44.7%) |
| 2012 | 10,665,149 (28.1%) | 387,800 (29.5%) | 7,985 (43.4%) | 7,470 (475.3%) |
| 2013 | 10,538,290 (27.6%) | 370,273 (28.0%) | 6,829 (37.9%) | 6,002 (38.5%) |
| 2014 | 10,434,389 (27.0%) | 392,947 (29.5%) | 4,670 (27.3%) | 4,589 (28.7%) |
| 2015 | 9,905,872 (25.4%) | 378,173 (28.5%) | 6,795 (37.2%) | 6,211 (38.0%) |
| 2016 | 9,366,792 (23.9%) | 350,149 (26.4%) | 8,434 (46.7%) | 7,904 (52.0%) |
| 2017 | 9,122,033 (23.0%) | 336,427 (24.8%) | 6,059 (36.1%) | 4,033 (29.0%) |
| 2018 | 8,971,239 (22.5%) | 350,658 (26.1%) | 6,903 (38.9%) | 6,285 (41.2%) |
| 2019 | 8,557,464 (21.2%) | 341,424 (24.9%) | 7,634 (47.9%) | 7,179 (52.2%) |
| Hispanic/Latino Population Living in Poverty | United
States below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania below Poverty Level | Erie County below Poverty Level | City of Erie
below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 9,315,923 (22.4%) | 152,104 (31.7%) | N/a | N/A |
| 2006 | 9,293,416 (21.5%) | 143,594 (28.6%) | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 | 9,219,100 (20.7%) | 169,302 (31.9%) | 2,823 (43.1%) | 2,451 (51.1%) |
| 2008 | 9,794,706 (21.3%) | 171,576 (29.9%) | 1,904 (24.5%) | N/A |
| 2009 | 11,130,896 (23.5%) | 181,706 (29.3%) | 3,382 (42.5%) | 2,883 (48.1%) |
| 2010 | 12,306,535 (24.8%) | 232,292 (33.5%) | 2,910 (31.6%) | 2,641 (44.2%) |
| 2011 | 13,126,374 (25.8%) | 239,624 (33.3%) | 3,820 (42.0%) | 3,560 (49.0%) |
| 2012 | 13,157,055 (25.4%) | 251,810 (33.4%) | 3,772 (38.5%) | 3,156 (50.1%) |
| 2013 | 13,089,210 (24.8%) | 258,190 (33.2%) | 4,640 (46.6%) | 4,103 (59.5%) |
| 2014 | 13,079,584 (24.1%) | 255,740 (31.8%) | 3,964 (39.8%) | 3,509 (55.0%) |
| 2015 | 12,505,613 (22.6%) | 252,451 (30.3%) | 4,937 (47.3%) | 4,240 (55.9%) |
| 2016 | 11,814,468 (21.0%) | 259,823 (30.0%) | 4,763 (44.9%) | 4,195 (52.2%) |
| 2017 | 11,173,521 (19.4%) | 260,303 (28.7%) | 4,451 (40.6%) | 3,590 (53.2%) |
| 2018 | 11,025,445 (18.8%) | 247,710 (26.3%) | 5,225 (45.7%) | 4,536 (67.5%) |
| 2019 | 10,201,081 (17.2%) | 252,255 (26.2%) | 3,774 (33.0%) | 2,531 (28.2%) |
| Males Living in Poverty | United
States Percent below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
Below Poverty Line |
Erie County
Below Poverty Line |
City of Erie
Below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 16,570,504 (11.8%) | 593,269 (10.3%) | 18,180 (14%) | 8,887 (20.5%) |
| 2006 | 16,963,560 (11.9%) | 623,939 (10.7%) | 20,677 (15.7%) | 13,125 (25.8%) |
| 2007 | 16,576,071 (11.5%) | 586,789 (10.1%) | 18,103 (13.9%) | 11,074 (25%) |
| 2008 | 17,208,986 (11.8%) | 625,382 (10.7%) | 17,152 (3.1%) | 10,352 (23.1%) |
| 2009 | 19,183,762 (13.1%) | 648,467 (11%) | 18,431 (14.2%) | 10,130 (21.3%) |
| 2010 | 20,850,219 (14.1%) | 125,169 (12.1%) | 20,766 (15.9%) | 13,106 (28.8%) |
| 2011 | 21,825,281 (14.7%) | 749,598 (12.5%) | 19,094 (14.6%) | 11,627 (25%) |
| 2012 | 21,910,739 (14.6%) | 749,388 (12.5%) | 19,094 (15%) | 12,640 (26.8%) |
| 2013 | 21,938,525 (14.5%) | 752,986 (12.5%) | 22,114 (16.9%) | 12,446 (26.1%) |
| 2014 | 21,590,918 (14.2%) | 746,833 (12.4%) | 18,733 (14.5%) | 11,005 (23.9%) |
| 2015 | 20,599,407 (13.4%) | 719,852 (11.9%) | 20,029 (15.4%) | 10,945 (23.7%) |
| 2016 | 19,760,056 (12.8%) | 703,375 (11.7%) | 18,741 (14.6%) | 11,702 (26.1%) |
| 2017 | 19,004,547 (12.2%) | 675,818 (11.2%) | 17,702 (13.9%) | 11,067 (24.4%) |
| 2018 | 18,550,942 (11.9%) | 678,853 (11.2%) | 19,406 (15.4%) | 13,628 (29.2%) |
| 2019 | 17,473,451 (11.1%) | 661,362 (10.9%) | 19,098 (15.4%) | 11,586 (26.5%) |
| Females Living in Poverty | United States
Percent below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania Below Poverty Line |
Erie County
Below Poverty Line |
City of Erie Percent below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 21,660,970 (14.8%) | 827,127 (13.4%) | 19,469 (14.3%) |
9,503 (19.9%) |
| 2006 | 21,793,693 (14.7%) | 824,289 (13.3%) | 23,542 (17.2%) |
13,461 (26.4%) |
| 2007 | 21,476,176 (14.3%) | 806,237 (13.1%) | 20,307 (15.2%) |
11,460 (24.2%) |
| 2008 | 17,208,986 (11.8%) | 625,382 (10.7%) | 17,152 (13.1%) |
12,353 (25.3%) |
| 2009 | 23,684,401 (15.6%) | 868,238 (13.9%) | 23,880 (17.3%) |
12,553 (24.8%) |
| 2010 | 25,365,737 (16.5%) | 923,015 (14.6%) | 25,952 (18.8%) |
16,378 (31.4%) |
| 2011 | 26,626,754 (17.2%) | 946,398 (14.9%) | 25,111 (28.2%) |
15,643 (30.8%) |
| 2012 | 26,849,384 (17.2%) | 943,897 (14.9%) | 22,802 (16.7%) |
12,085 (24.6%) |
| 2013 | 26,872,343 (17.2%) | 937,469 (14.8%) | 26,891 (19.6%) |
15,668 (32.3%) |
| 2014 | 26,617,496 (16.8%) | 935,379 (14.7%) | 24,705 (18%) |
12,939 (26.3%) |
| 2015 | 25,553,670 (16%) | 910,143 (14.3%) | 26,400 (19.4%) |
14,627 (30%) |
| 2016 | 24,508,940 (15.2%) | 888,670 (14%) | 23,058 (17.1%) |
13,797 (28.3%) |
| 2017 | 23,579,108 (14.5%) | 872,906 (13.7%) | 24,163 (18%) |
13,776 (29.3%) |
| 2018 | 23,301,373 (14.3%) | 839,017 (13.2%) | 20,726 (15.6%) | 10,986 (24.8%) |
| 2019 | 22,016,645 (13.5%) | 827,971 (13.0%) | 25,558 (19.3%) | 14,092 (30.3%) |
| Children Under 18 living in poverty | United States
Percent below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
Below Poverty Line |
Erie County
Below Poverty Line |
City of Erie
Below Poverty Level |
| 2005 | 13,360,273 (18.5%) | 460,616 (16.7%) | 11,254 (17.4%) |
5,704 (24.1%) |
| 2006 | 13,285,569 (18.3%) | 464,686 (16.9%) | 16,515 (25.6%) |
10,290 (40%) |
| 2007 | 13,097,100 (18%) | 446,686 (16.3%) | 14,172 (22.5%) |
8,950 (40.7%) |
| 2008 | 13,240,870 (18%) | 455,488 (16.8%) | 13,471 (21.9%) |
8,587 (37.4%) |
| 2009 | 14,656,962 (20%) | 466,638 (17.1%) | 13,366 (21.6%) |
6,838 (30.2%) |
| 2010 | 16,386,500 (22.5%) | 522,189 (19.2%) | 15,142 (24.7%) |
10,521 (43.1%) |
| 2011 | 16,386,500 (22.5%) | 521,160 (19.2%) | 15,878 (25.7%) |
10,730 (47.3%) |
| 2012 | 16,396,863 (22.6%) | 532,166 (19.7%) | 13,414 (22%) |
8,236 (36.5%) |
| 2013 | 16,086,960 (22.2%) | 516,390 (19.4%) | 17,089 (28.4%) |
9,649 (45.5%) |
| 2014 | 15,086,960 (21.7%) | 514,292 (19.4%) | 13,550 (22.7%) |
7,961 (35.7%) |
| 2015 | 15,000,273 (20.7%) | 512,793 (19.4%) | 16,141 (27.2%) |
8,615 (38.2%) |
| 2016 | 14,115,713 (19.5%) | 486,029 (18.5%) | 14,252 (24.4%) |
9,123 (40.6%) |
| 2017 | 13,353,202 (18.4%) | 444,486 (17%) | 14,452 (24.9%) |
9,373 (43.5%) |
| 2018 | 12,997,532 (18.0%) | 434,736 (16.8%) | 11,961 (21.1%) |
7,788 (38.9%) |
| 2019 | 12,000,470 (16.8%) | 434,904 (16.9%) | 14,487 (26.2%) |
9,245 (44.6%) |
| Under 5 Years Old | United States
Percent below Poverty Level |
Pennsylvania
Below Poverty Line |
Erie County
Below Poverty Line |
City of Erie
Below Poverty Level |
| 2015 | 4,448,211 (22.8%) | 149,390 (21.2%) | 5,782 (36.7%) | 3,339 (46.7%) |
| 2016 | 4,156,949 (21.3%) | 141,094 (20.2%) | 4,310 (28.3%) | 3,152 (42.1%) |
| 2017 | 3,932,969 (20.2%) | 135,492 (19.5%) | 5,072 (34.1%) | 2,784 (44.1%) |
| 2018 | 3,758,704 (19.5%) | 121,224 (17.6%) | 3,033 (20.8%) | 1,851 (38.4%) |
| 2019 | 3,457,689 (18.2%) | 118,512 (17.4%) | 4,523 (30.8%) | 2,282 (44.9%) |
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