16509 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
15701
16509
Opportunity
59 · Top 42%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
62 · Bottom 25%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs90 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 12%
vs54 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 15701 | 16509 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,269 | 28,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,311 | $68,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,149 | $39,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 279/sq mi | 748/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,900 | $220,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $814 | $1,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.3% | 68.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.0% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 43.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 18.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.35 | 11.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.3% | 46.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.2% | 64.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.2% | 59.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 15701 — Indiana, PA · 16509 — Erie, PA · How this is calculated: methodology