16509 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
16509
16148
Opportunity
61 · Top 37%
vs59 · Top 41%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs28 · Bottom 14%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 10%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
84 · Top 9%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 25%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 16509 | 16148 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,595 | 16,545 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,846 | $70,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,267 | $45,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 748/sq mi | 525/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $220,500 | $197,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,092 | $899 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.7% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.3% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 34.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 16.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.0" | 41.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 49.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.91 | 13.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.2% | 46.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.6% | 70.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.5% | 47.7% | 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: 16509 — Erie, PA · 16148 — Hermitage, PA · How this is calculated: methodology