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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Essex County

Massachusetts · 670,080 residents · 492.513 sq mi
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The short version

Essex County is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $37,913. Population has declined 7% since 2000. Median home value is $176,400.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 34.5
US median: 33.0
More educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
670,080
−7%vs 2000
vs 723,419 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
34.5
−8%vs 2000
vs 37.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
656K699K742K784K827K1990201020202024Essex County
2024813K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.2%(48,508)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.7%(44,817)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.1%(40,642)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.4%(42,764)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.1%(47,355)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.5%(117,167)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.6%(104,524)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.6%(70,732)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.8%(59,135)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748%(53,355)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.7%(31,184)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.5%(9,897)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$37,913
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $51,576 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,586
−33%vs 2000
vs $26,358 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
9.3%
+0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$176,400
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $206,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$597
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $665 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
61.2%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 63.5% in 2000
38.8% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Essex County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.1%(601,340)
Black2%(14,399)
Hispanic / Latino11%(79,871)
Asian2.3%(16,737)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic92.1%(617,002)
Black2.3%(15,123)
Hispanic / Latino7.1%(47,443)
Asian1.4%(9,594)
Other4.2%(28,361)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Dominican11.5%(93,235)
Puerto Rican4.6%(37,051)
Central American4.4%(35,433)
Guatemalan2.3%(18,411)
Salvadoran1.5%(11,925)
South American1.3%(10,602)
Mexican0.7%(5,509)
Colombian0.6%(5,083)
Honduran0.3%(2,722)
Cuban0.3%(2,702)
Ecuadorian0.3%(2,416)
Peruvian0.2%(1,595)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.2%(1,404)
Nicaraguan0.1%(932)
Costa Rican0.1%(904)
Venezuelan0.1%(536)
Chilean0%(334)
Argentine0%(210)
Bolivian0%(187)
Paraguayan0%(115)
Uruguayan0%(61)
Asian origin
Chinese0.8%(6,646)
Asian Indian0.7%(5,722)
Cambodian0.6%(5,149)
Vietnamese0.4%(3,631)
Korean0.2%(1,884)
Filipino0.2%(1,229)
Bangladeshi0.1%(753)
Japanese0.1%(742)
Laotian0.1%(585)
Nepalese0.1%(490)
Pakistani0%(359)
Taiwanese0%(356)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(294)
Sri Lankan0%(154)
Burmese0%(129)
Kazakh0%(97)
Hmong0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(73)
Samoan0%(72)
Guamanian0%(22)
Ancestry
Irish18.7%(152,156)
Italian13.6%(110,498)
English9.6%(77,666)
French4.7%(38,069)
German4.4%(35,985)
Polish3.1%(24,967)
French Canadian3%(24,210)
American2.7%(21,839)
Portuguese2.2%(17,865)
Scottish2%(16,541)
Greek1.6%(13,234)
Subsaharan African1.3%(10,837)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.2%(9,470)
West Indian1.1%(9,214)
Swedish1.1%(8,897)
Arab1%(8,281)
Brazilian0.9%(7,340)
Haitian0.7%(5,801)
Canadian0.7%(5,352)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(4,253)
Lebanese0.5%(4,076)
Lithuanian0.5%(4,002)
Norwegian0.5%(3,997)
Armenian0.4%(3,091)
Ukrainian0.3%(2,844)
Dutch0.3%(2,362)
Welsh0.3%(2,312)
British0.3%(2,304)
Finnish0.2%(1,869)
Moroccan0.2%(1,815)
Nigerian0.2%(1,759)
Danish0.2%(1,650)
Hungarian0.2%(1,624)
Kenyan0.2%(1,290)
Cape Verdean0.2%(1,229)
Austrian0.2%(1,225)
Romanian0.1%(1,216)
Jamaican0.1%(1,119)
Czech0.1%(1,064)
Swiss0.1%(1,040)
Iranian0.1%(758)
Barbadian0.1%(744)
Syrian0.1%(696)
Turkish0.1%(683)
Slovene0.1%(537)
Belgian0.1%(536)
Slovak0.1%(530)
Iraqi0.1%(435)
Egyptian0%(395)
Latvian0%(316)
Serbian0%(288)
Ethiopian0%(251)
Australian0%(250)
Bulgarian0%(179)
Ghanaian0%(165)
Croatian0%(153)
Macedonian0%(143)
Israeli0%(113)
Guyanese0%(107)
Jordanian0%(103)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest Dominican population · Largest English population · Largest French population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
25.9%
−5.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 31.3% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
80.2%
−4.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 84.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
9.4%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.9 min
+10%vs 2000
vs 19.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married37.1%(120,131)
Married52.3%(169,594)
Widowed2.4%(7,616)
Divorced8.2%(26,658)
Women 15+
Never married33%(115,566)
Married46.7%(163,854)
Widowed8%(28,105)
Divorced12.3%(43,018)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Essex County

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Pop 793,345
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Pop 759,859
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Pop 781,194
Ventura County
Pop 830,851
Places similar to Essex County
Head to head

Compare Essex County to nearby counties

ESSEX COUNTY VS
Suffolk County
Income$95,631+152%
Home value$705,800+300%
Population791,891−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Rockingham County
Income$118,331+212%
Home value$497,500+182%
Population324,077−61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Middlesex County
Income$130,847+245%
Home value$727,800+313%
Population1,669,979+102%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Norfolk County
Income$130,739+245%
Home value$683,900+288%
Population739,749−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Essex County, Massachusetts?

Essex County, Massachusetts has about 670,080 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Essex County, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Essex County, Massachusetts earns about $37,913 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Essex County, Massachusetts expensive?

In Essex County, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $176,400, and the typical rent is about $597 a month.

How educated are people in Essex County, Massachusetts?

About 25.9% of adults age 25 and over in Essex County, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Essex County, Massachusetts?

About 9.3% of people in Essex County, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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Explore from here

174 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 2508Census Tract 2131Census Tract 2544.02Census Tract 2518Census Tract 2532.02Census Tract 2523Census Tract 2105Census Tract 2091Census Tract 2113Census Tract 2031Census Tract 2526.01Census Tract 2682Census Tract 2047.01Census Tract 2515Census Tract 2604.02Census Tract 2516Census Tract 2101Census Tract 2064Census Tract 2641Census Tract 2691
44 ZIP codes (top 30 by population)
ZIP 01960ZIP 01844ZIP 01841ZIP 01902ZIP 01970ZIP 01915ZIP 01810ZIP 01845ZIP 01930ZIP 01906ZIP 01905ZIP 01923ZIP 01843ZIP 01830ZIP 01832ZIP 01904ZIP 01945ZIP 01950ZIP 01913ZIP 01907ZIP 01835ZIP 01938ZIP 01940ZIP 01949ZIP 01952ZIP 01840ZIP 01833ZIP 01921ZIP 01982ZIP 01966
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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