Population 2,734 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Essex
Household size in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.01 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.13 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.88 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Essex is a place of small households, averaging 2.13 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 3.01 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Essex are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Essex is older than most Chicago neighborhoods.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 21.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −11.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Essex: 21.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Essex has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Chicago neighborhoods.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Essex
Renters in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 65.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.6% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 58.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Essex: 58.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 58.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.7% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Essex: 18.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Few Chicago neighborhoods have a higher vacancy rate: only 11 of 135.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Essex is a place of older homes: half were built before 1957, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Compared with other Chicago neighborhoods, though, Essex has newer homes than most.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $903 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $990 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $992 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,220 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$317 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Essex pays $1,220 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 42.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Essex
Bachelor's degrees in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.0% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Essex: 24.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.5% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.8% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Essex never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Essex
| Period | Essex | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −14.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Essex runs well above the national rate: 14.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Essex compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | 2.13 | 40.8 | 21.3% | 58.3% | 18.0% | 1957 | $1,220 | 24.0% | 87.8% | 14.2% |
| South Shore | 2.12 | 39.3 | 22.6% | 72.1% | 11.0% | 1948 | $1,127 | 25.5% | 88.7% | 15.1% |
| Italian Bowery | 1.85 | 40.8 | 18.2% | 86.3% | 15.3% | 1953 | $1,138 | 12.4% | 85.0% | 20.7% |
| Avalon Highlands | 2.08 | 39.3 | 22.2% | 72.9% | 16.7% | 1944 | $1,107 | 19.4% | 84.2% | 21.4% |
| Avalon Park | 2.34 | 46.5 | 23.3% | 33.7% | 18.4% | 1946 | $1,068 | 34.5% | 92.9% | 13.0% |
| Woodlawn | 2.23 | 33.8 | 19.4% | 76.1% | 16.5% | 1954 | $1,225 | 32.4% | 88.7% | 13.0% |
| Grand Crossing | 2.35 | 41.1 | 28.6% | 62.7% | 15.1% | 1944 | $1,073 | 22.1% | 82.1% | 15.1% |
| Windsor Park | 2.23 | 38.8 | 24.3% | 81.3% | 20.4% | 1946 | $1,095 | 24.3% | 86.8% | 15.7% |
| Cheltenham | 2.67 | 41.3 | 23.2% | 53.2% | 18.0% | 1940 | $1,110 | 19.5% | 87.7% | 17.7% |
| Chatham | 2.26 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 47.3% | 13.3% | 1950 | $1,206 | 36.6% | 93.6% | 15.6% |
| South Chicago | 2.60 | 44.9 | 19.8% | 61.0% | 17.8% | 1945 | $857 | 18.6% | 78.7% | 15.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Belle Glade, Belle Glade, FL · Woodlawn Court, Hattiesburg, MS · Livingston-McNaughten, Columbus, OH · Menomonee River Hills East, Milwaukee, WI · Mission Bend South, Mission Bend, TX · North End, Phillipsburg, NJ · Orchard, Oxnard, CA · Palm Springs, Apache Junction, AZ · Downtown Pomona, Pomona, CA · Downtown Madison Heights, Madison Heights, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Essex. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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