Essex County vs Orleans County
A side-by-side comparison of Essex County and Orleans County: population, income, housing, and more.
Essex County and Orleans County are counties in New York. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Orleans County has the higher population (39,686 vs 37,077 in Essex County). Essex County has the higher median household income ($70,215 vs $63,838 in Orleans County). Essex County has the higher median home value ($200,000 vs $126,200 in Orleans County).
Population, income & housing
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,077 | 39,686 |
| Median age | 49.5 yrs | 43.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,215 | $63,838 |
| Median home value | $200,000 | $126,200 |
| Median gross rent | $890 | $877 |
| Housing units | 25,318 | 18,275 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.1% | 77.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 17.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,459 → 37,077 (-1.0%) | 40,904 → 39,686 (-3.0%) |
| Median household income | $56,763 → $70,215 (+23.7%) | $52,620 → $63,838 (+21.3%) |
| Median home value | $153,600 → $200,000 (+30.2%) | $98,400 → $126,200 (+28.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $812 → $890 (+9.6%) | $728 → $877 (+20.5%) |
Essex County
37,45937,077
$56,763$70,215
$153,600$200,000
$812$890
Orleans County
40,90439,686
$52,620$63,838
$98,400$126,200
$728$877
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 12.1% | 14.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 7.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 12.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.4% | 11.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 13.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.9% | 16.5% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.2% | 11.9% |
| 75 and over | 10.5% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.7% | 85.6% |
| Black or African American | 2.1% | 4.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.1% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.8% | 5.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 13.3% |
| High school graduate | 33.1% | 41.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.1% | 28.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.9% | 10.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.4% | 6.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 73.0% | 75.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.4% | 7.7% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 4.3% | 3.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Worked from home | 11.0% | 10.7% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 79.4% | 73.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.0% | 10.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.7% | 3.5% |
| 20 or more units | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.2% | 9.9% |
Poverty & households
| Essex County | Orleans County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 13.0% |
| Average household size | 2.18 | 2.31 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1954 |
Full profiles
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