Community Assessment Data
A Guide to Understanding the Well-Being of Children & Families in Erie County, Pennsylvania

County Child Population Under Age 18

CHARTS

County Child Population Under age 18 - By Municipality

Ethnicity for Larger Entities

Differences Between 1990 and 2000 for Larger Entities


MEASUREMENT

Population figures are the 100-percent enumeration counts from the SF1 file, tables P12A - P121 of the 2000 Census. Comparisons are made to figures from tables P012A - P012J of the STF 1 file of the 1990 Census. The percentage of children is the total number of children divided by the total population, and multiplied by 100.

DESCRIPTION

Erie County, containing Pennsylvania/'s only Great Lake port, is the northwestern most county in the Commonwealth. It is bounded on the north by Lake Erie, an international border with Canada; on the east by New York State (Chautauqua County); and on the west by the State of Ohio (Ashtabula County). Only on the southeastern border adjoining Warren County and the southern border adjoining Crawford County does Erie County connect with the remainder of Pennsylvania. The county is 812.6 square miles and had a budget, including special funds, of approximately $235.2 million for 2002.

Erie County is comprised of 39 municipalities. These have separate governing bodies and include two cities. The City of Erie on Lake Erie is in the north central part of the county and is the fourth largest city in the state (2000 population: 103,717), while the City of Corry (2000 population: 6,834) sits in the extreme southeastern part of the county. In addition, there are 14 boroughs and 22 townships. The total 2000 census population was 280,843, retaining Erie County's rank as the 13th most populous county in Pennsylvania.

Erie County was tied for the 5th youngest median age of county residents in 2000 in Pennsylvania with a median age of 36.2 years. Children under age 18 represent a significant portion of Erie County residents. Knowing the number of children in our community helps determine the demand for schools, health care, and other services and facilities that serve children and their families.

DATA ANALYSIS

• Although the City of Erie lost 4.5% of the population between 1990 and 2000, Erie County's population increased 1.9%.
• Millcreek Township and the North East area increased 11.3% and 12.9% respectively.
• Only Edinboro Borough and Conneaut Township had less than 23% children. These localities are the locations of Edinboro University and the Albion State Correctional Facility respectively.
• The only City of Erie Census Tracts to increase in population between 1990 and 2000 were Census Tracts 1, 2, 14, and 28.
• In the City of Erie, Census Tracts 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 17, and 18 each had over 30% of the population composed of children, the highest of these being Tract 13 with 39.7% and Census Tract 15 with 43.0%.
• Census Tracts with less than 20% children were 1, 9, 19, 21, and 28.