Population 992 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Essex
Household size in Essex
| Period | Essex | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Essex has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Missouri as a whole looks much the same. Household size has dropped from 2.70 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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.2 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Essex skews older than the country: its median age is 43.4, against 40.1 nationally.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Essex than nationally: 9.8%, against 11.6%.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Essex own their homes; 28.6% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (51.4%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Essex: 19.7% 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.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Essex are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $518 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $542 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $607 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $693 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$175 | +$383 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Essex costs $693 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 27.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Essex: 8.2% 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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.9% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Essex never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Essex is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Missouri overall (4.1%). 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 | 2.56 | 43.4 | 9.8% | 28.6% | 19.7% | 1978 | $693 | 8.2% | 82.5% | 5.3% |
| Hunterville | 2.64 | 41.4 | 8.3% | 33.0% | 15.9% | 1980 | $712 | 6.6% | 79.1% | 4.2% |
| Penermon | 2.29 | 47.7 | 11.7% | 27.4% | 23.0% | 1975 | $644 | 9.0% | 81.1% | 2.6% |
| Idalia | 3.05 | 37.8 | 8.7% | 17.7% | 19.0% | 1981 | $688 | 8.9% | 91.7% | 13.0% |
| Grayridge | 2.52 | 41.6 | 7.2% | 39.6% | 12.3% | 1980 | $743 | 4.8% | 72.0% | 0.0% |
| Clines Island | 2.70 | 40.0 | 9.2% | 35.2% | 14.6% | 1980 | $716 | 6.8% | 79.2% | 6.1% |
| Birds Corner | 2.52 | 41.6 | 7.2% | 39.6% | 12.3% | 1980 | $743 | 4.8% | 72.0% | 0.0% |
| Frisco | 2.13 | 46.4 | 8.1% | 38.2% | 27.9% | 1970 | $1,205 | 14.7% | 87.3% | 9.6% |
| Bloomfield | 2.65 | 43.8 | 9.7% | 25.7% | 18.0% | 1972 | $785 | 13.1% | 78.2% | 6.1% |
| Dexter | 2.47 | 41.2 | 9.2% | 32.4% | 11.5% | 1974 | $821 | 22.1% | 87.7% | 1.8% |
| Morehouse | 1.96 | 44.7 | 6.8% | 43.5% | 14.0% | 1975 | $490 | 5.5% | 81.7% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Renova, MS · Lafayette Springs, MS · Lane, SC · Leadville North, CO · Meadow Grove, NE · Mesa, MS · Mount Calm, TX · Quinebaug, CT · Ray, OH · Reiles Acres, ND
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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