Housing Report for Erie

In Erie, the census reported 116,922 housing units in the year 2005. This represents a medium level of growth in the number housing units, adding in all 1,967 housing units since the year 2001, or 1.7 percent.

The owner-occupied dwellings in Erie, Pennsylvania have experienced moderate increases from the real estate values reported in 2000. The valuations have increased by $11,400, or 13.4 percent, from 2000 when they had reported median values of $85,300.

In the State of Pennsylvania, Erie stands 9 of the 14 metro areas in terms of growth of new housing structures between 2001 and 2005. The MSA stands 331 of 361, comparing the percentage change in residential real estate in other US MSAs.

Erie recorded median owner-occupied home value in the year 2005 of $96,700, accounted by the American Community Survey. This is less than the State of Pennsylvania 2005 home value of $131,900 and less than home value of $167,500 across the nation during that year.

There seems to be a large amount of housing that is affordable in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2005, 65.6 percent of the homes were valued under $125,000.

Erie may be described as having a small, but present percentage of homes that are high in price. For 2005, the American Community Survey counted that 1 percent of the homes were valued over $500,000.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Employment Report for Erie, Pennsylvania -- Annual 2005 Industry Summary

In Erie, Manufacturing, Educational services and Health care and social assistance are the three industries with the highest location quotients. The Manufacturing sector in the county has a location quotient of 1.72. The level of employment in the Manufacturing sector is 1.72 times greater than the US average, showing signs that Erie specializes in Manufacturing.

Mining from 2001-2005 had the highest increase in employment in Erie, with an industry growth of 41 percent. This is greater than the United States change in the sector jobs of 4.7 percent. The State of Pennsylvania went through a industry job change of 2 percent, during the time since 2001.

The Erie Metropolitan Area is ranked at 148 of 363 throughout the US in terms the size of total employment in 2005. This ranking has slipped behind during the time of 2001 and 2005. The Metropolitan Area, in the year 2001, was ranked 145 of 363 Counties.

The Manufacturing industry decreased the most in percent of total employment in the Erie Metropolitan Area since 2001, going from making up 27.1 percent of employment in 2001 to 22 percent of total employment in the year 2005.

Manufacturing has the largest businesses in Erie MSA, with the industry averaging 47 jobs per place of business. This is greater than the industry's average in the United States of 39 and greater than the State of Pennsylvania average establishment size of 41 for the Manufacturing industry.

Manufacturing since the year 2001 was faced with the largest loss in employment in the Erie MSA. The sector faced a loss of 6,055 employees during the period, or 19.6 percent of industry's employment. The industry declines made up 81.7 percent of all employment losses in the Metro Area.

In Erie, Manufacturing, Health care and social assistance, and the Retail Trade industries are the largest employment industries. The Manufacturing produces the largest number of jobs in the area accounting for 22 percent of all jobs throughout the region, totaling 24,853 jobs. The Health care and social assistance and Retail Trade sectors account for 17.3 and 14.3 percent of industry employment.

A well-paying sector in Erie is the utilities industry with an average annual wage of $61,449. Throughout the MSA since the year 2001, the industry annual average wages have grown by 9 percent or $5,093. The State of Pennsylvania has the same employment climate in the utilities sector, standing at the top of sectors according to average 2004 industry pay.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).