Essex County vs Plymouth County
A side-by-side comparison of Essex County and Plymouth County: population, income, housing, and more.
Essex County and Plymouth County are counties in Massachusetts. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Essex County has the higher population (807,258 vs 531,889 in Plymouth County). Plymouth County has the higher median household income ($109,698 vs $99,431 in Essex County). Essex County has the higher median home value ($584,000 vs $513,000 in Plymouth County).
Population, income & housing
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 807,258 | 531,889 |
| Median age | 41.1 yrs | 42.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $99,431 | $109,698 |
| Median home value | $584,000 | $513,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,673 | $1,655 |
| Housing units | 328,460 | 216,654 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.0% | 77.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.3% | 41.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 783,676 → 807,258 (+3.0%) | 515,303 → 531,889 (+3.2%) |
| Median household income | $79,263 → $99,431 (+25.4%) | $89,489 → $109,698 (+22.6%) |
| Median home value | $409,900 → $584,000 (+42.5%) | $370,300 → $513,000 (+38.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,241 → $1,673 (+34.8%) | $1,279 → $1,655 (+29.4%) |
Essex County
783,676807,258
$79,263$99,431
$409,900$584,000
$1,241$1,673
Plymouth County
515,303531,889
$89,489$109,698
$370,300$513,000
$1,279$1,655
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 5.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.6% | 15.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.8% | 8.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 13.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.3% | 15.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| 75 and over | 7.3% | 7.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.9% | 76.8% |
| Black or African American | 3.5% | 8.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 1.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| Two or more races | 3.2% | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.2% | 4.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.9% | 6.8% |
| High school graduate | 24.4% | 26.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.4% | 25.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.9% | 25.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 17.5% | 15.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.3% | 71.8% |
| Carpooled | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| Public transit | 3.7% | 3.3% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 14.6% | 14.7% |
| Other means | 2.4% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.3% | 70.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.8% | 5.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 21.5% | 11.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.6% | 6.2% |
| 20 or more units | 11.2% | 5.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.5% | 2.3% |
Poverty & households
| Essex County | Plymouth County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 7.1% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | 2.59 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 33 |
| Median year structure built | 1960 | 1971 |
Full profiles
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