Essex County, Virginia

1 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 10,604
Median household income: $56,481
Median home value: $228,600

Home to 10,604 residents, Essex County is one of Virginia's counties. 1 cities and places have their primary county here. At $56,481, its median household income sits below Virginia's $90,974.

Between 2019 and 2023, Essex County's population declined 3.6% from 10,998 to 10,604, while its median household income rose 8.7% from $51,954 to $56,481.

The largest age group is 55 to 64, 16.4% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 53.8% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 10,604
Median age: 47.1 yrs
Median household income: $56,481
Median home value: $228,600
Median gross rent: $967
Housing units: 5,785
Homeownership rate: 68.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.5%
Unemployment rate: 6.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

10,99810,604

Median household income

$51,954$56,481

Median home value

$202,800$228,600

Median gross rent

$885$967

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	10,998	$51,954	$202,800	$885
2020	10,960	$51,125	$196,500	$887
2021	10,621	$54,375	$213,100	$881
2022	10,602	$52,335	$217,000	$942
2023	10,604	$56,481	$228,600	$967

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

Age distribution

Under 54.8%

5 to 1713.1%

18 to 249.1%

25 to 348.8%

35 to 4411.0%

45 to 5413.1%

55 to 6416.4%

65 to 7414.4%

75 and over9.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	511	4.8%
5 to 17	1,394	13.1%
18 to 24	970	9.1%
25 to 34	928	8.8%
35 to 44	1,171	11.0%
45 to 54	1,385	13.1%
55 to 64	1,738	16.4%
65 to 74	1,532	14.4%
75 and over	975	9.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	5,705	53.8%
Black or African American	3,961	37.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native	14	0.1%
Asian	56	0.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	8	0.1%
Some other race	7	0.1%
Two or more races	392	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	461	4.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma14.3%

High school graduate39.5%

Some college or associate's28.8%

Bachelor's degree11.1%

Graduate or professional degree6.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,102	14.3%
High school graduate	3,050	39.5%
Some college or associate's	2,223	28.8%
Bachelor's degree	861	11.1%
Graduate or professional degree	493	6.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 36 min

Drove alone75.4%

Carpooled8.3%

Public transit0.0%

Walked1.9%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home11.7%

Other means2.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	3,086	75.4%
Carpooled	341	8.3%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	78	1.9%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	480	11.7%
Other means	108	2.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	761	21.1%
15 to 29 min	1,154	31.9%
30 to 44 min	474	13.1%
45 to 59 min	263	7.3%
60+ min	961	26.6%

Households

Average household size: 2.38
Poverty rate: 15.5% (1,628 of 10,512)

	Count	Share
Family households	2,700	61.4%
Nonfamily households	1,696	38.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1981

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	4,396	76.0%
Vacant	1,389	24.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	3,031	68.9%
Renter-occupied	1,365	31.1%

1-unit, detached73.1%

1-unit, attached2.8%

2 to 4 units2.3%

5 to 19 units5.6%

20 or more units2.5%

Mobile home & other13.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,231	73.1%
1-unit, attached	164	2.8%
2 to 4 units	131	2.3%
5 to 19 units	324	5.6%
20 or more units	147	2.5%
Mobile home & other	788	13.6%

Geography

County GEOID: 51057
State: Virginia
Land area: 257 sq mi
Water area: 29 sq mi
Center point: 37.9364, -76.9337