Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Erie, PA
🏆 Aurora leads 15 of 23 categories
Aurora
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405 ✓ Larger
Erie
Pennsylvania
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,135
Violent Crime Index
99
Population
94,826
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $42,808 more per year on average
29% less violent crime than Erie
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Erie
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Erie, PA
Pros
Homes cost $140k less ($101,500 vs $241,600)
Rent averages $653/mo less ($809 vs $1,462)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.5)
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $42,808/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.6%)
Snowy winters — about 104" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Income
$42,808
$85,943 vs $43,135/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
29% lower
266.0 vs 375.6 per 100k
Aurora
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.8% unemployment
Erie
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 91.5 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Erie
Median Home Value
$140k less
$101,500 vs $241,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Erie, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 91.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 | $101,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $809 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $43,135 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 5.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (90) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 88.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | Erie City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 35.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer | 81.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 43.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" ✓ Less | 104.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 94,826 |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 35.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 52.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 21.4% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Erie's 91.5 (US average = 100).
Erie is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 15 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 15 and Erie wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Erie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $101,500 median home), income ($85,943 vs $43,135), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Erie, PA are about 423 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.