16501 ZIP Code — Erie, PA

Erie County, Pennsylvania

ZIP code 16501 is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, within Erie County. It covers approximately 0.72 square miles and serves a population of 1,670 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 814.

About ZIP code 16501

The housing stock consists of a significant share of large multi-unit buildings. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Renters make up the majority at 96%, typical of denser urban areas.

Median household income is $14,319. Poverty affects 62% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 71% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 49% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 14 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 23% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of obesity (47%), diabetes (23%), smoking (32%) compared to national benchmarks. 17% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 35%.

Overall, ZIP code 16501 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

1,670

population

0.72

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

16501 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 16501

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 16501. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Erie	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

16534 Erie (0.2 mi) 16544 Erie (0.3 mi) 16541 Erie (0.3 mi) 16522 Erie (0.4 mi) 16530 Erie (0.4 mi) 16553 Erie (0.4 mi) 16531 Erie (0.4 mi) 16538 Erie (0.4 mi) 16550 Erie (0.5 mi) 16507 Erie (0.9 mi) 16546 Erie (1 mi) 16502 Erie (1.1 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	1,670
Population density	2,319 / sq mi
State FIPS	42
County FIPS	049

Geography
Land area	0.72 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	42.1237
Longitude	-80.0872
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	814

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	95.6%	47.4%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	4.4%	31.2%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	17.7%	22.4%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.7%	7.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,670

Population

2,319

People per sq mi

53.7

Median age

$14,319

Median household income

$18,875

Per capita income

Median home value

$423

Median monthly rent

3.7%

Home ownership

61.6%

Poverty rate

23.1%

Unemployment

300

Housing units

23.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

10–14

15–19

143

20–24

100

139

25–34

35–44

100

45–54

129

55–59

104

60–64

213

65–74

148

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	32	1.9%
18 and over	1,638	98.1%
65 and over	431	25.8%
Median age	53.7 years

Race & ethnicity

White 74.2%

Black or African American 14.6%

Asian 4.7%

Two or more races 4.1%

Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

Other race 0.9%

Group	Count	%
White	1,257	74.2%
Black or African American	247	14.6%
Asian	80	4.7%
Two or more races	70	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino	23	1.4%
Other race	16	0.9%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	95.6%	47.4%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	4.4%	31.2%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	17.7%	22.4%
Over $200k	0.0%	3.7%	7.1%

Under $10k 12.8%

$10k–$15k 42.5%

$15k–$25k 19.0%

$25k–$35k 12.7%

$35k–$50k 1.5%

$50k–$75k 4.2%

$75k–$100k 3.8%

$150k–$200k 1.6%

$200k+ 1.8%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	12.8%
$10k–$15k	42.5%
$15k–$25k	19.0%
$25k–$35k	12.7%
$35k–$50k	1.5%
$50k–$75k	4.2%
$75k–$100k	3.8%
$150k–$200k	1.6%
$200k+	1.8%
Median income	$14,319

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 57.5%

$50k–$100k 42.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$423
Owner occupied	3.7%
Renter occupied	96.3%
Vacant	19.2%
Single-family detached	5.4%
Large apartment buildings	71.9%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	3.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.35

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	0.4%
1990–1999	3.3%
1980–1989	8.5%
1970–1979	46.7%
1960–1969	3.1%
1950–1959	9.9%
1940–1949	2.5%
1939 or earlier	25.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	19.8%
1 bedroom	58.0%
2 bedrooms	16.8%
3 bedrooms	5.4%
4 bedrooms	0.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	67.0%
1 vehicle	28.2%
2 vehicles	0.7%
3 or more	4.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	49.6%
Electricity	42.5%
Fuel oil	2.1%
No fuel used	2.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	36	3.3%
Cohabiting couple	52	4.8%
Male householder, no spouse	617	56.5%
Female householder, no spouse	387	35.4%
Households with children under 18	20	1.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	390	35.7%
Average household size	1.20

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	52.5%	58.9%
Married	7.7%	7.5%
Separated	2.4%	1.0%
Widowed	4.9%	2.5%
Divorced	32.5%	30.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 8.2%

Some HS, no diploma 11.2%

HS graduate 32.2%

Some college, no degree 20.3%

Associate's degree 5.1%

Bachelor's degree 19.3%

Graduate / professional 3.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	80.6%
Bachelor's or higher	23.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	32	5.5%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	545	94.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 25.7%

Construction 21.4%

Manufacturing 12.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 11.7%

Retail trade 11.2%

Public administration 6.0%

Information 5.5%

Professional & management 3.1%

Other services 1.9%

Finance & real estate 1.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	37.1%
Service	12.6%
Sales & office	19.3%
Natural resources & construction	23.1%
Production & transportation	7.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	77.9%
Government	15.7%
Self-employed	6.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	44.9%
Carpool	3.6%
Public transit	1.7%
Walk	42.0%
Work from home	7.8%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	13.6

Poverty

All people 61.6%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 62.3%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 50.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	49.4%
Retirement income	6.6%
Supplemental Security	38.4%
Cash public assistance	3.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	71.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	47.4%
High blood pressure	47.5%
High cholesterol	40.0%
Diabetes	23.3%
Heart disease	14.8%
Stroke	8.7%
Asthma	13.3%
Arthritis	41.2%
Kidney disease	6.8%
Pulmonary disease	20.1%
Cancer	7.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	31.7%
Binge drinking	13.7%
No physical activity	41.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	37.8%
Depression	25.6%
Fair or poor health	36.2%
Poor mental health	20.1%
Poor physical health	23.5%
No health insurance	17.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.8%
Visited dentist	44.3%
Cholesterol screening	84.1%
Teeth loss	43.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	66	4.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	34.9%
Under 18	46.9%
18–64 years	28.6%
65 and over	51.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	35.3%
Public insurance	58.2%
No insurance	16.8%
Uninsured under 19	37.8%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,670	100.0%
Spanish	97	5.8%
Other Indo-European	31	1.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	10	0.6%
Other languages	56	3.4%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,481	88.7%
Born in same state	1,432	85.7%
Born in different state	959	57.4%
Foreign born	49	2.9%
Naturalized citizen	189	11.3%
Not a US citizen	29	15.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	215	12.9%
French	187	11.2%
English	31	1.9%
Arab	21	1.3%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	8	0.5%
Irish	7	0.4%
Norwegian	4	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	65.4%
Internet access	78.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 16501

What city is ZIP code 16501 in?

ZIP code 16501 is primarily assigned to Erie, Pennsylvania.

What county is ZIP code 16501 in?

ZIP code 16501 falls within Erie County, Pennsylvania.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 16501?

62% of residents in ZIP code 16501 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 16501 mostly rentals?

96% of occupied units in ZIP code 16501 are renter-occupied.

Does ZIP code 16501 have an older population?

26% of residents in ZIP code 16501 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 16501 have a large retiree population?

49% of households in ZIP code 16501 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 16501 in?

ZIP code 16501 observes the EST timezone.