Dauphin County vs Erie County
A side-by-side comparison of Dauphin County and Erie County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dauphin County and Erie County are counties in Pennsylvania. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Dauphin County has the higher population (287,484 vs 269,544 in Erie County). Dauphin County has the higher median household income ($74,159 vs $61,476 in Erie County). Dauphin County has the higher median home value ($222,300 vs $169,500 in Erie County).
Population, income & housing
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 287,484 | 269,544 |
| Median age | 39.4 yrs | 40.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $74,159 | $61,476 |
| Median home value | $222,300 | $169,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,153 | $876 |
| Housing units | 127,259 | 120,019 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.3% | 68.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 29.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 275,632 → 287,484 (+4.3%) | 273,835 → 269,544 (-1.6%) |
| Median household income | $60,715 → $74,159 (+22.1%) | $51,529 → $61,476 (+19.3%) |
| Median home value | $167,900 → $222,300 (+32.4%) | $134,100 → $169,500 (+26.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $949 → $1,153 (+21.5%) | $753 → $876 (+16.3%) |
Dauphin County
275,632287,484
$60,715$74,159
$167,900$222,300
$949$1,153
Erie County
273,835269,544
$51,529$61,476
$134,100$169,500
$753$876
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.5% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.2% | 9.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 12.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.3% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 11.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 7.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 61.7% | 82.3% |
| Black or African American | 16.7% | 6.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 6.1% | 2.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.3% | 4.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 7.4% |
| High school graduate | 32.1% | 37.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.1% | 25.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.9% | 18.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.4% | 11.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 70.8% | 76.4% |
| Carpooled | 8.3% | 9.3% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 3.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Worked from home | 14.8% | 8.2% |
| Other means | 1.8% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 49.7% | 68.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 22.4% | 4.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.3% | 12.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.4% | 5.2% |
| 20 or more units | 6.5% | 5.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.7% | 4.9% |
Poverty & households
| Dauphin County | Erie County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 15.4% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 2.33 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1963 |
Full profiles
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