Essex County vs Suffolk County
A side-by-side comparison of Essex County and Suffolk County: population, income, housing, and more.
Essex County and Suffolk 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 782,172 in Suffolk County). Essex County has the higher median household income ($99,431 vs $92,859 in Suffolk County). Suffolk County has the higher median home value ($680,700 vs $584,000 in Essex County).
Population, income & housing
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 807,258 | 782,172 |
| Median age | 41.1 yrs | 33.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $99,431 | $92,859 |
| Median home value | $584,000 | $680,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,673 | $2,069 |
| Housing units | 328,460 | 353,930 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.0% | 36.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.3% | 49.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 6.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 783,676 → 807,258 (+3.0%) | 796,605 → 782,172 (-1.8%) |
| Median household income | $79,263 → $99,431 (+25.4%) | $69,669 → $92,859 (+33.3%) |
| Median home value | $409,900 → $584,000 (+42.5%) | $496,500 → $680,700 (+37.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,241 → $1,673 (+34.8%) | $1,590 → $2,069 (+30.1%) |
Essex County
783,676807,258
$79,263$99,431
$409,900$584,000
$1,241$1,673
Suffolk County
796,605782,172
$69,669$92,859
$496,500$680,700
$1,590$2,069
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.6% | 11.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.8% | 13.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.5% | 22.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 13.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 10.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.3% | 10.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 7.7% |
| 75 and over | 7.3% | 5.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.9% | 44.1% |
| Black or African American | 3.5% | 17.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 8.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Two or more races | 3.2% | 5.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.2% | 22.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.9% | 12.4% |
| High school graduate | 24.4% | 20.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.4% | 17.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.9% | 26.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 17.5% | 23.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.3% | 36.6% |
| Carpooled | 7.0% | 6.2% |
| Public transit | 3.7% | 23.6% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 12.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 14.6% | 17.5% |
| Other means | 2.4% | 1.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.3% | 13.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.8% | 6.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 21.5% | 35.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.6% | 17.6% |
| 20 or more units | 11.2% | 26.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Poverty & households
| Essex County | Suffolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 16.5% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | 2.29 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 31 |
| Median year structure built | 1960 | 1948 |
Full profiles
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