Erie, PA Reviews

Erie is the place to be in 2025. - 3/21/2024
Erie is a hidden gem with something for everyone. Presque isle state park draws about as many visitors as Yellowstone and more than My. Rushmore. Outdoors are covered between the PI, our many creeks, the biggest state game land in PA, real no BS world class fishing, and the neighboring backdrop of PA foothills and mountains. Meds, Ed's and manufacturing are our most successful places to work, and they're constantly expanding, combined with our low cost of living it's unparalleled to someone in those fields. Local universities (3 out of our several very good schools) have combined to create amazing help for entrepreneurs and startup companies that can't be matched anywhere. A rising economy backed by huge public and private investment make this the place to be. A low startup cost has never had such an awesome growth potential, whether relocating a home or a Read More

Erie: Pros and Cons - 3/14/2023
I've lived in Erie for 13 years.

PROS:
- Presque Isle
- Shopping options on Peach Street
- Great fishing
- The Otters and SeaWolves
- Decent food scene
- 3 universities in the area

CONS:
- Lousy weather the majority of the year
- Rude, cliquey "fake nice" locals
- High crime throughout most of the city
- High cost of living compared to other major nearby cities
- Limited job opportunities
- Poor schools

Overall, I would tell anyone considering moving to Erie to consider moving elsewhere. Erie is not a good place to raise a family or make friends, in my opinion. And if you absolutely HAVE to live here, I would highly recommend living outside the city. Harborcreek, North East, and some areas of Millcreek are good. Wesleyville and most of Lawrence Park are more Erie-like in architectural appearance, but with better schools and without most of the Read More

Erie PA is a hidden gem - 9/2/2019
I've lived in numerous cities and towns around the country and traveled to countless others. Erie, PA remains, surprisingly, my favorite place to live, work and play. Why?

Here's my take on "The Gem City" (the city's actual nickname, given due to the shimmering waters of Lake Erie)...

OPPORTUNITY:
There are numerous opportunities to build and grow a business. From tax incentives by the State of PA for starting a business to the support you'll get from peers and organizations like the local SBDC or the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA, an unprecedented and really cool model for disbursement of money collected from gaming taxes levied upon casinos here), it seems unlikely any other small cities will offer this much guidance to help your business grow.

ECONOMY:
The stats on Erie PA are just plain misleading. The fact is there has been half a billion dollars privately invested in the Erie PA downtown over just the past Read More

Giant Dump - 8/11/2018
Born and raised in Erie pa, Lucky enough to earn an above average living here. (Moved out of Erie) However in the big sceme of things that doesn’t mean much two people working at McDonald’s make an above average living here. Erie is home to the poorest zip code in state of PA - 16503 where average annual income is under 11,000. Erie is the epitome of terrible liberal politics and a horrible education system. Kindergarten teachers make 75,000 a year but annual household incomes hover around 28,000. Erie was listed by wall street journal as number 1 worst city in country for black people. Growing up in Erie I would state crime and poverty are rampant in the black communities. There are nice areas left very few there is however a giant bridge that’s crumbling people want to spend millions to save. Also a very large historic landmark was demolished and turned into a parking lot for a crummy car dealership. (Koehler Brewery) Anyone wants to know what life is like in Erie watch the extreme Read More

A Wonderful Place To Live - 4/29/2016
I have lived in Erie for 50 years, and it's a great small town! Erie boasts 3 excellent universities and Penn State's leading engineering branch, Behrend. Even our state university, Edinboro, has graduated notable people such as actress Sharon Stone, Pat Monahan of Train, and head football coach Mike Kelly, just to name a few. Erie has a top medical school, LECOM, with outstanding enrollment that in 2016 is 164% above any other medical school for enrollment.

We are proud to host entertainment such as Jim Gaffigan and Jason Aldean at our newly remodeled, gorgeous Erie Insurance Arena. We have Penmsylvania's largest state park, Presque Isle State Park...which can now attest to having been named the #1 BEST LAKE BEACH IN THE USA!!! Kick back, bring a cooler and stay all day with your toes in the sand while the life guards on our 11 beaches keep you safe. Or walk a ways to the numerous unguarded areas with you dog...you won't find any unreasonable rules here...and Read More

moved from Erie at 16 in '83 - 3/14/2013
I was so glad to leave. I lived in Lawrence, Park also which was better. I returned in 2010 to visit Erie and Lp the old hood looked run down. I was into Martial Arts there and watched Billy Blanks standing outside his DOJO downtown one time. Lots of good memories growing up Read More

Erie, PA is what you make it - 10/7/2012
I recently relocated to Erie from San Antonio, TX in October of 2011 and prior to that I have resided in South Florida, Detroit, South Jersey, and Northern California and born and raised in Philadelphia. It is also important to note that I am a professional, college educated, ex-military, mid aged African American man who has been blessed with a great career.

Erie, PA being my very first small town (population under 500k) took some getting used to at first, with its very small International Airport with only 5 gates, one mall, two movie theaters and a very limited in terms on diversity (people from all walks of life). However, it is absolutely GORGEOUS in the fall with its diverse foliage and in the summer with literally something to do every day.

Why you will not find a Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, Mega Mall or impressive night life, you will find some of the most friendliest people I have ever met, a “Norman Rockwell” like lifestyle, a decent amusement Read More

US Census numbers - 1/3/2012
According to U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population of City of Erie,PA
was 101,786 a decrease of 1.9% from previous census. Read More

SHOTS FIRED !! - 1/3/2012
As 2011 ended, over 55 shootings occurred in the City of Erie. 55 is almost double of the previous Read More

Erie PA - 8/4/2011
It's a nice place to live with a lot to do. Set on Lake Erie we have beaches and boating. We also have an amusement park, zoo, and multiple minor league type of sport teams. It is conveniently located within two hours of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Buffalo, so day trips to larger cities are very easy to do.

The downsides in Erie would be the budget cuts to the education system and the weather. Teachers are getting layed off and when I was in school we were always short on supplies and the class sizes are on the large size, probably a median of about 25:1 and going up due to lay-offs. The weather cam be discribes as dreary with less than 100 days of sunshine a year. It doesn't rain a high amount, its just cloudy and overcast. Since we are on the lake we have a lot of Read More