PlainZIP

Erie, PA · standard

ZIP Code 16509

Erie County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

26,810
272/sq mi
$68,846
Median income
$220,500
Median home value
38.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Erie pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

45th pct
household income, US ZIPs
49th pct
home value, US ZIPs
272
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 16509 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 16509 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, with 26,810 residents across 98.7 square miles, a density of 272 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 16509 reports a modest median household income of $68,846 (12% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $39,267. The poverty rate stands at 12.5% and the unemployment rate at 3.0%. The typical home here is valued at $220,500 (3% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,092 monthly, and 68.7% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.7, and the average commute is 17 minutes. To put 16509 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Erie County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 16509

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Erie, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 16509.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 16509, Erie, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

26,810

Population

98.7

Area (sq mi)

272

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 16509?

41.7

Median Age

45.6%

Male

54.4%

Female

7.5%

Foreign-Born

White 86.2%
African American 4.4%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$68,846

Median Household Income

-12% vs state

$39,267

Per Capita Income

12.5%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

16.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 16509 ranks nationally

Erie, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$68,846 45th percentile higher than 45% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 71.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

13,054

Total Housing Units

12,367

Occupied Units

687

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.7%
Renter 31.3%

$220,500

Median Home Value

-3% vs state

$1,092

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.8%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 16509 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.1% 147
2021 +10.4% 163
2022 +11.1% 181
2023 +13.4% 205
2024 +5.8% 217

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 689 business establishments in ZIP 16509, employing approximately 15,287 people with a combined annual payroll of $624,515,000.

689

Businesses

15,287

Employees

$624.5M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 137 19.9%
Accommodation and food services 116 16.8%
Health care and social assistance 63 9.1%
Other services (except public administration) 58 8.4%
Construction 43 6.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 41 6.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 5.8%
Finance and insurance 38 5.5%
Manufacturing 32 4.6%
Wholesale trade 20 2.9%
Information 20 2.9%
Educational services 20 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 20 2.9%
Transportation and warehousing 18 2.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 2.6%
Utilities 5 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 16509 vs 16504 →

ZIP 16509 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 16509 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 16509 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 16509 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
16504 Erie, PA 17,322 3.5 mi
16546 Erie, PA 1,154 3.2 mi
16503 Erie, PA 16,850 4.8 mi
16508 Erie, PA 16,050 3.7 mi
16501 Erie, PA 2,044 4.9 mi
16502 Erie, PA 16,664 4.7 mi
16506 Erie, PA 23,720 5.7 mi
16563 Erie, PA 1,621 5.1 mi
16507 Erie, PA 11,088 5.8 mi
16510 Erie, PA 25,625 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Erie County

16510 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 25,625
16506 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 23,720
16504 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 17,322
16505 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 17,168
16503 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 16,850
16502 standard
Erie, PA
Pop: 16,664

Related Areas

Erie County Erie, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 16509 in? ▼
ZIP code 16509 (Erie) is located in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Erie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/erie-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 16509? ▼
ZIP code 16509 in Erie, PA has a population of 26,810 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 16509? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 16509 is $68,846, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 16509? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 16509 is $220,500, which is 21% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 16509? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 16509 is White at 86.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 16509? ▼
ZIP code 16509 has 689 business establishments employing approximately 15,287 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 16509? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 16509 are: Retail trade (137), Accommodation and food services (116), Health care and social assistance (63). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 16509? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 16509 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 16509? ▼
In ZIP code 16509, 71.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 16509? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 16509 is 16.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 16509? ▼
In ZIP code 16509, approximately 68.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 16509? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 16509 is 12.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.