Poverty Data

United Way of Erie County utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze poverty rates for Erie County.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Census Bureau did not release official American Community Survey data for the year of 2020. Instead, experimental estimates were released that did not include the Erie County region.

2012 Federal Poverty household income was $11,344 (individual) and $23,021 (family of four)
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)
2020 Federal Poverty household income is $12,760 (individual) and $26,200 (family of four)
2021 Federal Poverty household income is $12,880 (individual) and $26,500 (family of four)
2022 Federal Poverty household income is $13,590 (individual) and $27,750 (family of four)
2023 Federal Poverty household income is $13,590 (individual) and $30,000 (family of four)

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Poverty Rates for Overall Population

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%)

2021

41,393,176 (12.8%)

1,519,032 (12.1%)

42,386 (16.5%)

20,692 (23.3%)

2022

40,951,625 (12.6%)

1,483,365 (11.8%)

38,548 (15.1%)

21,126 (24.0%)

Poverty Rates by Employment Status

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

8,918,835 (5.6%)

335,392 (5.4%)

9,951 (8.1%)

5,472 (14.0%)

2021

8,672,108 (5.6%)

288,208 (4.7%)

7,155 (6.1%)

3,503 (9.1%)

2022

9,177,878 (5.7%)

312,567 (4.9%)

9,708 (8.0%)

4,726 (11.6%)

Poverty Rates by Employment Status

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%)

2019

2,090,290 (28.3%)

84,102 (28.9%)

2,197 (34.9%)

1,575 (46.2%)

2021

2,874,391 (27.6%)

116,000 (28.0%)

3,229 (33.0%)

1,588 (42.6%)

2022

2,175,036 (30.4%)

91,281 (32.5%)

1,448 (42.1%)

260 (19.7%)

Poverty Rates by Race/Nationality

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%)

2021

19,510,415 (9.8%)

855,801 (9.1%)

28,956 (13.6%)

9,289 (15.9%)

2022

19,544,155 (9.9%)

834,013 (8.9%)

27,866 (13.2%)

11,881 (20.3%)

Poverty Rates by Race/Nationality

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%)

2021

8,402,643 (21.8%)

316,173 (24.8%)

5,109 (29.2%)

4,933 (31.4%)

2022

8,317,088 (21.3%)

295,367 (23.0%)

3,086 (18.8%)

2,919 (20.9%)

Poverty Rates by Race/Nationality

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%)

2021

10,759,082 (17.5%)

237,254 (22.5%)

4,081 (32.2%)

3,776 (49.0%)

2022

10,465,447 (16.8%)

258,956 (23.9%)

3,944 (30.8%)

3,798 (45.0%)

Poverty Rates by Gender

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%)

2021

18,518,155 (11.6%)

662,566 (10.7%)

16,633 (13.3%)

7,578 (18.0%)

2022

18,281,641 (11.4%)

652,419 (10.6%)

17,316 (13.8%)

10,075 (22.8%)

Poverty Rates by Gender

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%)

2021

22,875,021 (13.9%)

856,466 (13.4%)

25,753 (19.5%)

13,115 (28.1%)

2022

22,669,984 (13.8%)

830,946 (13.0%)

21,232 (16.5%)

11,051 (25.3%)

Poverty Rates by Age Group

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%)

2021

12,243,219 (16.9%)

445,513 (16.9%)

15,211 (27.2%)

7,455 (35.9%)

2022

11,582,950 (16.3%)

393,542 (15.2%)

10,278 (18.9%)

6,334 (33.8%)

Poverty Rates by Age Group

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%)

2021

3,349,149 (18.3%)

120,064 (18.0%)

4,309 (31.3%)

2,639 (41.7%)

2022

3,141,107 (17.4%)

106,428 (16.2%)

2,647 (19.2%)

1,669 (35.1%)