County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Essex County
- What is the median household income in Essex County?
- The median household income in Essex County is $56,481 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Essex County?
- The poverty rate in Essex County is 10.5% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Essex County?
- $228,600 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Essex County?
- The median gross rent in Essex County is $967 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Essex County residents have a college degree?
- 17.5% of adults in Essex County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
10,604
Median Income
$56,481
Median Home Value
$228,600
Poverty Rate
10.5%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
6.3%
Median Age
47.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$4,527 (+8.7%)
Home Value:
+$25,800 (+12.7%)
Poverty Rate:
-0.3 pp (-2.8%)
Bachelor's+:
+0.1 pp (+0.6%)
Unemployment:
-0.5 pp (-7.4%)
Demographics
Total Population
10,604
Median Age
47.0
Female
54.5%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
White (non-Hisp.) 53.8%
Black 37.5%
Asian 0.5%
Two or More 5.1%
Other 0.8%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.2%
Chinese
0.2%
Filipino
0.2%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Puerto Rican
2.6%
Mexican
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$56,481
±$7,411
-$34,493 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$79,408
Median Family Income
$73,065
Poverty Rate
10.5%
+3.7 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
20.0%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
15.1%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
32.8%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
8.1%
$10–15k
3.3%
$15–25k
11.8%
$25–35k
6.6%
$35–50k
13.6%
$50–75k
17.6%
$75–100k
11.1%
$100–150k
16.5%
$150–200k
6.8%
$200k+
4.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
5,785
Owner-Occupied
68.9%
Renter-Occupied
31.1%
Vacancy Rate
24.0%
Median Home Value
$228,600
-$132,100 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$967
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
24.4%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
45.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
9.9%
$50–100k
6.2%
$100–200k
9.2%
$200–300k
31.5%
$300–500k
18.8%
$500k–$1M
9.4%
$1M+
0.3%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
4.8%
$500–1k
51.9%
$1–1.5k
31.1%
$1.5–2k
2.7%
$2–2.5k
9.5%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
6.0%
1 vehicle
34.6%
2 vehicles
29.8%
3+
29.6%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
73.1%
Single-fam. att.
2.8%
2–4 units
1.6%
5–19 units
5.0%
20+ units
2.5%
Mobile home
13.6%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
7.4%
1940–1969
5.6%
1970–1999
17.0%
2000–2009
20.0%
2010+
4.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
85.7%
Bachelor's or Higher
17.5%
-24.0 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
6.4%
Some College / Associate
23.5%
Less Than High School
5.2%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
50.4%
Unemployment Rate
6.3%
+2.0 pp vs. state
Work from Home
11.7%
Self-Employed
8.3%
Government Workers
13.2%
Private For-Profit
78.1%
Industry
Edu/Health
18.2%
Retail
14.3%
Manufacturing
13.1%
Prof. Services
10.2%
Transportation
8.4%
Construction
7.7%
Finance
6.9%
Public Admin
5.7%
Arts/Entmt.
3.8%
Agriculture
2.4%
Information
2.0%
Wholesale
1.9%
Occupation
Management
31.9%
Sales
21.0%
Production
18.5%
Food Prep
15.4%
Construction
13.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
35.5 min
Drove Alone
75.4%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Work from Home
11.7%
Walked
1.9%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
4,396
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
46.3%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
12.6%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
4.8%
5–9
4.0%
10–14
6.3%
15–19
6.0%
20–24
6.0%
25–34
8.8%
35–44
11.0%
45–54
13.1%
55–64
7.1%
65–74
9.3%
75–84
14.4%
85+
6.8%
Under 18: 18.0%
Working age (18–64): 82.0%
65 and over: 23.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
3.1%
Naturalized Citizen
36.9%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
2.1%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
65.2%
Asia
26.5%
Europe
6.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.2%
With a Disability
16.0%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
89.9%
Uninsured
10.1%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
78.2%
Has a Computer
87.2%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.2%
Moved from Abroad
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Essex County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Essex County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 47 | 78 |
| Henrico County | 29 | 42 |
| Westmoreland County | 25 | 44 |
| Richmond County | 21 | 37 |
| Spotsylvania County | 20 | 49 |