

WHY ERIE COUNTY?
AFFORDABILITY
ACCESS TO MARKETS
TALENT & WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION
GROWING INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
WITH AN UNPARALLELED LOCATION
AND ATTRACTIONS
Take your pick – metropolitan areas, lakeside communities, historic cities, downtowns, or rural ‘small town’ communities. Erie County is bursting with opportunities all supported by great public services, and a thriving community full of recreational attractions and educational institutions. Over 11 million people are attracted to our Lake Erie Shores & Islands region each year, making it one of the Midwest’s most popular destinations for tourists as well. With close proximity to the Cleveland, Toledo, and Akron/Canton Ohio metropolitan areas, Erie County is an incredible place to invest, just ask our top employers! Along with that, we also have one of the lowest costs of living in the region.
SO AGAIN...WHY ERIE COUNTY?
Because it’s an industry-proven place worth bringing your business, new idea, and family and friends!
13%
Less Expensive
Cost of Doing Business
6.75%
Effective
Sales Tax Rate
0.26%
CAT-Only State
Business Tax
$132,400
Median
Home Value
$51,033
Median
Income
95.1%
Employment
Rate
54%
of Workforce have Bachelor's Degree
or Higher
6
Amusement and
Water Parks
90 Miles
of Lake Waterfront
6,299 Acres
State Parks, Forests, Nature Preserves, and Wildlife Areas
3,156,677
Population in
45-mile Radius
1,621,683
Labor Force in
45-mile Radius
90
Marinas
50%
U.S. Population within a Day's Drive
60%
GRP Growth Over Last 30 Years
INCENTIVES
RESOURCES
TO FUEL
YOUR GROWTH
Erie County and the State of Ohio both offer a wide array of incentives for expanding and relocating businesses. New or growing businesses that demonstrate economic impact through job creation and capital investment may qualify for these programs. Our team works closely with regional and state partners at Team Northeast Ohio & JobsOhio to streamline access to support that suits your company and industry.
Ready to discuss your growth plans? The best place to start is a phone call to our office. Program details and eligibility vary, but common incentive tools include:
FINANCING
A variety of attractive financing programs are available to increase your capital access and complement your traditional private financing. Ask our team about the Erie County Revolving Loan Fund, Erie County Port Authority programs including bond financing and PACE energy loans, JobsOhio loans and SBA loans and their competitive, fixed interest rates.
TAX CREDITS, EXEMPTIONS, ABATEMENTS AND GRANTS
Securing tax incentives and targeted grants to support your investments and workforce training needs can give you a real competitive edge. Our team can facilitate cost saving opportunities including property tax abatements through Erie County’s Enterprise Zone (EZ) or Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA), City of Sandusky grants to support façade improvements and small businesses, OhioMeansJobs workforce training grants or state income tax abatements and economic development grants.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Power, fiber, roads, water, sewer and rail are essential to competitive sites and business success. We will introduce you to funding opportunities like Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or grant and loan programs available through Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Development Services Agency and JobsOhio.
We'd love to help you get what you need for your business.