Erie receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Erie
Springfield
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs42 · Bottom 23%
Growth
21 · Bottom 9%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Climate
64 · Bottom 43%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 4%
vs84 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 49%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Erie | Springfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 269,052 | 135,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,354 | $63,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,812 | $33,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 337/sq mi | 341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,000 | $169,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $904 | $872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 160 | 244 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.7% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.0" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Erie
70
Your Score
70
Area Score
Springfield
66
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: Erie, PA Metro Area · Springfield, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology