Geography of Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie is located in Northwestern Pennsylvania at 42°6′52′′N 80°4′34′′W (42.114507, -80.076213), on the southern side of Lake Erie opposite Ontario, Canada. It is located 128 miles north of Pittsburgh, 100 miles northeast of Cleveland, Ohio, and 90 miles southwest of Buffalo, New York. Devonian shale and siltstone form the bedrock of Lake Erie, which is covered by glacial tills and stratified drift. The city's stream drainage empties into Lake Erie, then Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and finally the Atlantic Ocean. A drainage divide exists south of Lake Erie, beyond which the majority of streams in western Pennsylvania flow south into the Allegheny or Ohio Rivers. Lake Erie is approximately 571 feet above sea level, while Erie is around 728 feet above sea level.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the city has a total area of 19.3 square miles, of which 19.1 square miles are land and 0.2 square miles, or 1.03%, are water. Just north of the city boundaries, Presque Isle State Park (known locally as "The Peninsula") protrudes into Lake Erie and features 7 miles of public beaches, wetlands, and fishing spots.

The downtown section of Erie is set out in a grid enclosing Perry Square. The downtown buildings and the waterfront are divided by the Bayfront Drive. St. Peter Cathedral is the tallest structure in Erie at 265 feet, while Renaissance Centre is the tallest building at 198 feet. Little Italy is one of the relatively tiny ethnic enclaves of Erie. South of 38th Street, the grid is replaced with the winding roadways of suburban development after 1970. Millcreek Township and upper Peach Street in Summit Township are recent developments in the Erie metropolitan area.

Population of Erie PA

The 2020 census places Erie as the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest in Northwestern Pennsylvania, with a population of 94,831. In 2023, the estimated population had reduced to 92,743. The metropolitan region of Erie, which encompasses all of Erie County, has 266,096 persons.