Essex County, Massachusetts

24 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 807,258
Median household income: $99,431
Median home value: $584,000

Essex County is a county in Massachusetts with a population of 807,258. 24 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $99,431 runs in line with the Massachusetts figure of $101,341.

Between 2019 and 2023, Essex County's population grew 3.0% from 783,676 to 807,258, while its median household income rose 25.4% from $79,263 to $99,431.

42.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 64.0% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 807,258
Median age: 41.1 yrs
Median household income: $99,431
Median home value: $584,000
Median gross rent: $1,673
Housing units: 328,460
Homeownership rate: 64.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 42.3%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

783,676807,258

Median household income

$79,263$99,431

Median home value

$409,900$584,000

Median gross rent

$1,241$1,673

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	783,676	$79,263	$409,900	$1,241
2020	787,038	$82,225	$436,600	$1,298
2021	804,598	$86,684	$462,900	$1,392
2022	806,103	$94,378	$535,300	$1,580
2023	807,258	$99,431	$584,000	$1,673

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.4%

5 to 1715.6%

18 to 248.8%

25 to 3412.5%

35 to 4412.6%

45 to 5412.8%

55 to 6414.3%

65 to 7410.7%

75 and over7.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	43,701	5.4%
5 to 17	125,719	15.6%
18 to 24	70,975	8.8%
25 to 34	100,517	12.5%
35 to 44	101,939	12.6%
45 to 54	103,371	12.8%
55 to 64	115,663	14.3%
65 to 74	86,046	10.7%
75 and over	59,327	7.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	531,979	65.9%
Black or African American	28,314	3.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	417	0.1%
Asian	27,601	3.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	200	0.0%
Some other race	5,540	0.7%
Two or more races	25,686	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	187,521	23.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma9.9%

High school graduate24.4%

Some college or associate's23.4%

Bachelor's degree24.9%

Graduate or professional degree17.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	55,892	9.9%
High school graduate	138,451	24.4%
Some college or associate's	132,657	23.4%
Bachelor's degree	140,926	24.9%
Graduate or professional degree	98,937	17.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 29 min

Drove alone69.3%

Carpooled7.0%

Public transit3.7%

Walked2.8%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home14.6%

Other means2.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	286,883	69.3%
Carpooled	29,063	7.0%
Public transit	15,453	3.7%
Walked	11,586	2.8%
Bicycle	737	0.2%
Worked from home	60,346	14.6%
Other means	10,078	2.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	88,652	25.1%
15 to 29 min	114,855	32.5%
30 to 44 min	71,799	20.3%
45 to 59 min	33,770	9.5%
60+ min	44,724	12.6%

Households

Average household size: 2.54
Poverty rate: 9.4% (74,235 of 791,577)

	Count	Share
Family households	206,693	66.3%
Nonfamily households	104,983	33.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1960

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	311,676	94.9%
Vacant	16,784	5.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	199,350	64.0%
Renter-occupied	112,326	36.0%

1-unit, detached50.3%

1-unit, attached6.8%

2 to 4 units21.5%

5 to 19 units9.6%

20 or more units11.2%

Mobile home & other0.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	165,146	50.3%
1-unit, attached	22,482	6.8%
2 to 4 units	70,675	21.5%
5 to 19 units	31,511	9.6%
20 or more units	36,903	11.2%
Mobile home & other	1,743	0.5%

Geography

County GEOID: 25009
State: Massachusetts
Land area: 493 sq mi
Water area: 336 sq mi
Center point: 42.6427, -70.8649