Population 43,089 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Essex
Household size in Essex
| Period | Essex | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Essex has 2.57 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.62, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.0 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Essex skews older than the country: its median age is 44.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 38.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the northwest.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Essex than nationally: 14.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.1% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.2% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.0% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.3% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Essex is about as common as it is nationally: 37.3% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Baltimore area as a whole (33.1%). Among homeowners, 29.6% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.8 points, even as the national share rose.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Essex: 7.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Baltimore area. Compared with other Maryland cities, though, Essex has a higher vacancy rate than most.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Essex is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, 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 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west 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
| Period | Essex | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $929 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,007 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,184 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,474 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$546 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in Essex pays $1,474 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $546 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the center.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Essex: 20.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.9 points, as it has nationally. Only 15 of the 245 Maryland cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.4% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.7% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.8% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Essex never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Essex has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Maryland cities.
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 | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Essex than nationally: unemployment was 6.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | 2.57 | 44.0 | 14.1% | 37.3% | 7.7% | 1969 | $1,474 | 20.8% | 86.8% | 6.1% |
| Middle River | 2.65 | 38.9 | 18.1% | 33.3% | 6.5% | 1983 | $1,787 | 32.9% | 88.6% | 4.1% |
| Rossville | 2.39 | 39.1 | 18.5% | 57.2% | 7.1% | 1991 | $1,680 | 29.9% | 94.5% | 4.0% |
| Bowleys Quarters | 2.69 | 41.2 | 16.2% | 21.3% | 8.7% | 1981 | $1,663 | 31.5% | 95.9% | 3.2% |
| Rosedale | 2.69 | 41.8 | 14.6% | 28.0% | 6.9% | 1964 | $1,322 | 23.9% | 90.6% | 6.8% |
| Dundalk | 2.75 | 36.9 | 16.7% | 35.1% | 7.0% | 1957 | $1,590 | 16.2% | 82.4% | 6.7% |
| Overlea | 2.53 | 38.5 | 12.6% | 23.7% | 7.2% | 1963 | $1,369 | 35.1% | 92.2% | 4.6% |
| Nottingham | 2.49 | 39.6 | 18.3% | 40.2% | 6.1% | 1984 | $1,760 | 39.8% | 90.4% | 4.6% |
| Edgemere | 2.60 | 41.7 | 14.0% | 12.1% | 9.9% | 1967 | $1,268 | 26.6% | 91.0% | 3.9% |
| Dundee Village | 2.68 | 45.4 | 11.0% | 10.6% | 4.3% | 1992 | $1,777 | 29.3% | 86.2% | 7.6% |
| White Marsh | 2.78 | 36.9 | 8.0% | 22.0% | 4.7% | 1995 | $1,934 | 52.0% | 95.3% | 2.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Burlington, VT · Elmwood Park, IL · Dunedin, FL · Golden, CO · Gonzales, LA · Clifton Park, NY · Chatsworth, CA · Bullhead City, AZ · Buda, TX · Brooksville, FL
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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