Population 813,054 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Essex County
Household size in Essex County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, Essex County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area as a whole, where it has 2.55 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.61, even as the national average fell.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.9 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Essex County is 42.1 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the east.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Essex County (12.1%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Boston area (9.7%).
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 County
Renters in Essex County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Essex County rent their homes (36.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About three in ten owners (30.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the center. The renter share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Essex County than nationally: 5.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only two of Massachusetts' 14 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Essex County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1961, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,049 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,137 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,336 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,864 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$815 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Essex County runs $1,864 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $815 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.3% 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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Essex County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Essex County than nationally: 41.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.8 points, as it has nationally.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.1% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.4% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Essex County have finished high school as nationally: 89.4%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (91.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 County
| Period | Essex County | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Essex County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 12.1% | 36.5% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,864 | 41.9% | 89.4% | 5.3% |
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Rensselaer County | 2.36 | 41.4 | 11.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1964 | $1,209 | 37.3% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Albany County | 2.27 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 43.4% | 9.1% | 1966 | $1,421 | 46.7% | 93.5% | 5.4% |
| Schoharie County | 2.26 | 46.8 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 22.1% | 1969 | $1,013 | 27.8% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Yates County | 2.48 | 43.1 | 7.9% | 22.8% | 23.5% | 1965 | $892 | 25.7% | 83.9% | 3.0% |
| Livingston County | 2.33 | 43.1 | 8.6% | 23.7% | 10.9% | 1967 | $948 | 32.1% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Wyoming County | 2.24 | 44.7 | 9.1% | 24.1% | 9.3% | 1958 | $819 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 3.7% |
| Macomb County | 2.53 | 41.8 | 10.3% | 25.0% | 5.1% | 1977 | $1,335 | 27.5% | 90.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Kern County, CA · Ventura County, CA · El Paso County, TX · San Francisco County, CA · Hidalgo County, TX · Baltimore County, MD · San Mateo County, CA · San Joaquin County, CA · Montgomery County, PA · Middlesex County, NJ
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 County. 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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