Erie is a city located in Erie County the fourth largest city in , Pennsylvania, is a major manufacturing and shipping center. Located on the southeast shore of Lake Erie, the city is the only lake port in the state. Its shoreline and protected harbor, and the availability of fresh water, offer the city unique advantages as a center of shipping and manufacturing in Pennsylvania. Over 10% of the nation's plastics are manufactured or finished in Erie-based plastics plants. With numerous building projects and renovations taking place over the past decade, Erie continues to emerge as a top contender for job growth and livability.

Erie is home to the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra. The Lake Erie Ballet is a professional ballet company which puts on a number of performances of well-known ballets throughout the year. The Erie Civic Music Association attracts professional entertainers from all over the world. The Erie Art Museum is Erie's premier art gallery. Along West 6th St. is Millionaire's Row. There stands a collection of 19th century Victorian houses/mansions. The oldest lighthouse on all of the Great Lakes stands at the foot of Lighthouse Street in the city.

Erie is home to a substantial Polish-American community. Along with Poles, there is a strong presence of Irish, Slovakians, and Italians in Erie. The Roman Catholic Church has a significant presence in Erie, with over 75 percent of the population claiming to be Catholic. St. Peter's steeple is the highest structure in the city.

Known for its lake effect snow, Erie is in the heart of the rust belt and has begun to focus on tourism as a driving force in its economy. More than four million people each year visit Presque Isle State Park, for water recreation, and a new casino named for the state park is growing in popularity.

Thanks to the new law in Pennsylvania legalizing certain types of gambling, is a trip to an Erie PA casino. For the most part, Pennsylvania casinos focus on slot machines, video poker and horse and dog racing on tracks. Erie casinos can be a fun part of Erie vacations for adults since many of the casinos are now found right inside hotels and even feature restaurants right on site. Note that minors are not allowed inside Erie PA casinos, so that Erie casinos are truly just for adults. Unlike Erie PA casinos, the racetracks themselves do not have an age limit, however, minors cannot bet on races.

Erie is known as the Flagship City because of the presence of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship Niagra. Erie has also been called the Gem City because of the "sparkling" lake.

Housing Cost

Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $80,300

Demographics

Population in July 2008: 103,817. Erie covers 22.0 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 650 feet above sea level. Area code: 814

Weather

Erie, PA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 80.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 20.30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 17 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Erie is 42.77 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is September with an average rainfall of 4.73 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com