19960106 21 BNSF, 1996
Erie’s story
176 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1996.
- 1850Erie is settled
ErieIL
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,484
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Typical home
$177K
+4.1% in a year
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
384
A commuter town
Is Erie a good place to live?
The best of Erie’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Erie’s average trip to work is 19 minutes, against 26 minutes in Illinois’ towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Among 340 Illinois towns, just 2 have a lower property crime rate than Erie. Erie has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Erie stand out
Where Erie beats most towns.
Small town
1,484 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Erie TownshipFenton TownshipErie
How Erie grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Erie is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.2 of 20; 1.9% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Jobs & income$83K median household incomeB+Open →HealthMorrison Community Hospital 12.2 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsBeat 60% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 41% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsDOpen →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life1.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.5; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Erie: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Erie, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterErie water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Erie’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWhiteside County ClerkWhiteside County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2026
ZIP code6125061250 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Erie.
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Erie is valued at about $177K
The typical Erie home is worth about $177,000, up 4.1% in a year, 40% below the Illinois typical home. At $767 a month, Erie’s median rent is below both the Illinois town median ($1,129 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
$177KZillow home value
| Erie | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $767 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Erie$177K
Illinois$296K
+4.1%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Erie has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Erie for work: only 11% work in town. 3% of residents live below the poverty line in Erie. Since 2013, Erie has added 80 jobs, to 384 in 2023.
11%work in town
| Erie | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Erie11%
Davenport7%
Morrison5%
Moline5%
Clinton4%
22 mi
median commute distance
384
jobs based in Erie
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 16% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Erie, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Erie has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 14° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 16
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB+
Erie ranks healthier than 66% of the country’s towns
Erie beats the Illinois average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 19% of Erie adults binge drink.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Erie | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 33% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better24 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Erie | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.3% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.1% | 9.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.7% | 10.3% |
Morrison Community Hospital
12.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Erie
Erie's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2023. Erie’s violent crime rate is 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Erie0.7
Illinois3.2
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Erie0
Illinois17.9
U.S.19.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2023
0
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Moderate risk in Erie, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Erie.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
6
paid flood claims since 1982
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 883 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Heritage Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Erie
20pages on Erie
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 60% of IL districtsSafety0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthB+Better than IL on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$177K typical home · up 4.1% in a yearWork & commuteB+$83K median household income · 384 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 41% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Erie
About 9 of every 100 Erie residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Erie for work
Where Erie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
384jobs based in Erie
11%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Erie
Village in Illinois, United States
Erie is a village in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Erie had a population of 1,518. It is known for its unusual layout, specifically its "town triangle".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 61250
Questions about Erie
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Erie, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.