Rents are right about where Erie's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,098 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Erie usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in September, about $15 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Erie is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2016.
Rent in Erie changed +2.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Erie rose 38.8% while median household income rose 21.7% ($37,894 to $46,113). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Erie is 50% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($46,113) is $1,153 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,073); a 3-bedroom is $1,338.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Erie. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Erie, PA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 23.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Erie, PA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Erie, PA has increased from $771 to $1,098, a 42.4% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $40,201 to $46,113 across the same window, up 14.7% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.8% since 2021, moving from about 95,536 residents to roughly 93,850. Renters now make up 45.9% of households, compared with 47.9% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Erie, PA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Erie on your salary?
At $1,098/mo, how Erie rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Erie rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Erie. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Erie
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Erie is $1,098/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $748/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,073/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $828/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,338/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($46,113/yr), Erie ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Erie rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
At $1,098/mo, rent takes ~29% of Erie's median household income ($46,113/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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