Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Erie, PA
🏆 Erie leads 13 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Erie
Pennsylvania
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,135
Violent Crime Index
99 ✓ Safer
Population
94,826
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $46,077 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Erie
Erie, PA
Pros
Homes cost $583k less ($101,500 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $1172/mo less ($809 vs $1,981)
40% less violent crime than Boston
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.5)
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $46,077/yr
Snowy winters — about 104" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$46,077
$89,212 vs $43,135/yr
Erie
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 91.5 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Erie
Violent Crime
40% lower
375.6 vs 627.9 per 100k
Erie
Median Home Value
$583k less
$101,500 vs $684,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Erie, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 91.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $101,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $809 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $43,135 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 5.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 99 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 92 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B- (90) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% | 88.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Erie City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F ✓ Warmer | 35.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F ✓ Warmer | 81.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" | 43.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" ✓ Less | 104.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 94,826 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 35.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 52.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 21.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Erie's 91.5 (US average = 100).
Erie is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Erie leads 13 of 23 categories. Boston wins 10 and Erie wins 13. 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 Boston to Erie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $101,500 median home), income ($89,212 vs $43,135), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Erie, PA are about 463 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.