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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Essex County

New Jersey · 778,206 residents · 126.083 sq mi
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The short version

Essex County is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $34,518. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value is $194,400.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.5
US median: 33.0
More educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
778,206
−2%vs 2000
vs 793,633 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.5
−3%vs 2000
vs 34.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
762K790K818K845K873K1990201020202024Essex County
2024863K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57%(54,515)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.6%(51,163)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(51,590)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197%(54,258)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.8%(60,454)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.7%(138,039)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415%(116,800)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.7%(83,346)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649%(69,956)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.3%(56,814)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.1%(31,763)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.2%(9,508)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$34,518
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $44,944 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,574
−30%vs 2000
vs $24,943 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
14.3%
−1.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.6% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$194,400
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $188,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$528
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $675 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
45.3%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 45.6% in 2000
54.7% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Essex County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic37.6%(298,708)
Black40.3%(319,883)
Hispanic / Latino15.4%(122,347)
Asian3.7%(29,141)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic51.2%(398,080)
Black40.7%(316,611)
Hispanic / Latino12%(93,210)
Asian2.7%(21,165)
Other5.4%(42,350)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
South American8.4%(72,622)
Puerto Rican5.8%(50,301)
Ecuadorian5.3%(45,793)
Dominican4.2%(36,033)
Central American3.2%(27,319)
Mexican1.3%(11,488)
Peruvian1.2%(10,168)
Salvadoran1.1%(9,440)
Guatemalan0.9%(7,844)
Colombian0.9%(7,835)
Honduran0.7%(6,400)
Cuban0.7%(6,328)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.4%(3,821)
Argentine0.3%(2,410)
Uruguayan0.3%(2,348)
Costa Rican0.2%(1,700)
Venezuelan0.2%(1,435)
Chilean0.1%(1,149)
Nicaraguan0.1%(1,085)
Panamanian0.1%(776)
Bolivian0.1%(529)
Paraguayan0%(352)
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.3%(19,836)
Chinese1.3%(11,437)
Filipino1%(8,784)
Korean0.4%(3,495)
Pakistani0.2%(1,610)
Japanese0.1%(1,026)
Taiwanese0.1%(997)
Bangladeshi0.1%(850)
Vietnamese0.1%(731)
Thai0.1%(489)
Nepalese0%(276)
Sri Lankan0%(191)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(119)
Malaysian0%(93)
Mongolian0%(72)
Kazakh0%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(88)
Guamanian0%(48)
Chamorro0%(28)
Fijian0%(7)
Ancestry
Italian7.6%(65,601)
West Indian7%(60,510)
Irish5.4%(46,269)
Subsaharan African4.9%(42,013)
German3.5%(30,155)
Haitian3.1%(27,081)
American3.1%(27,010)
Jamaican2.5%(21,695)
English2.3%(20,246)
Polish2.1%(18,313)
Brazilian2%(17,170)
Nigerian1.7%(14,830)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Portuguese1.4%(12,369)
Guyanese1.2%(10,064)
Russian1%(9,037)
Scottish0.6%(4,828)
Ghanaian0.5%(4,702)
Arab0.5%(4,544)
French0.5%(4,368)
Ukrainian0.4%(3,478)
Hungarian0.4%(3,326)
Greek0.4%(3,164)
Dutch0.3%(2,239)
Austrian0.2%(2,052)
Swedish0.2%(1,757)
British0.2%(1,737)
Egyptian0.2%(1,452)
Romanian0.2%(1,410)
Lithuanian0.2%(1,368)
Norwegian0.1%(1,290)
Ethiopian0.1%(1,204)
Turkish0.1%(1,182)
Canadian0.1%(1,123)
Croatian0.1%(1,115)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(1,099)
Czech0.1%(1,078)
Lebanese0.1%(978)
Barbadian0.1%(973)
Welsh0.1%(916)
Iranian0.1%(893)
Israeli0.1%(777)
Slovak0.1%(722)
Danish0.1%(701)
Syrian0.1%(642)
Moroccan0.1%(590)
Kenyan0.1%(505)
Belgian0.1%(445)
Armenian0%(412)
Swiss0%(378)
Latvian0%(343)
Finnish0%(333)
Bulgarian0%(223)
Macedonian0%(186)
Serbian0%(184)
Australian0%(171)
Slovene0%(61)
Iraqi0%(47)
Jordanian0%(23)
RANKED:Largest South American population · Largest Italian population · Largest West Indian population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.0%
−3.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 27.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
70.1%
−5.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
9.3%
−1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.9% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+10%vs 2000
vs 22.2 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 married44.8%(149,307)
Married45.6%(152,002)
Widowed2.4%(7,925)
Divorced7.2%(24,158)
Women 15+
Never married41.3%(148,895)
Married41.2%(148,474)
Widowed7.4%(26,812)
Divorced10.1%(36,438)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Essex County

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Pop 886,221
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Pop 875,607
DeKalb County
Pop 774,394
St. Louis County
Pop 990,911
Places similar to Essex County
Head to head

Compare Essex County to nearby counties

ESSEX COUNTY VS
Union County
Income$103,202+199%
Home value$529,200+172%
Population601,863−33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Hudson County
Income$91,795+166%
Home value$539,700+178%
Population735,033−18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
New York County
Income$103,931+201%
Home value$1,090,500+461%
Population1,664,862+86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Bergen County
Income$124,884+262%
Home value$623,000+220%
Population977,026+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Essex County, New Jersey?

Essex County, New Jersey has about 778,206 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Essex County, New Jersey?

The typical household in Essex County, New Jersey earns about $34,518 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Essex County, New Jersey expensive?

In Essex County, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $194,400, and the typical rent is about $528 a month.

How educated are people in Essex County, New Jersey?

About 24.0% of adults age 25 and over in Essex County, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Essex County, New Jersey?

About 14.3% of people in Essex County, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

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Explore from here

211 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 208Census Tract 205Census Tract 160Census Tract 216.01Census Tract 173.02Census Tract 197Census Tract 120Census Tract 214Census Tract 22.03Census Tract 7Census Tract 216.02Census Tract 154Census Tract 136Census Tract 213Census Tract 200Census Tract 143Census Tract 68Census Tract 196Census Tract 74Census Tract 209.02
31 ZIP codes (top 30 by population)
ZIP 07111ZIP 07105ZIP 07003ZIP 07104ZIP 07052ZIP 07107ZIP 07017ZIP 07109ZIP 07103ZIP 07106ZIP 07050ZIP 07039ZIP 07110ZIP 07112ZIP 07018ZIP 07108ZIP 07042ZIP 07006ZIP 07040ZIP 07079ZIP 07078ZIP 07044ZIP 07114ZIP 07009ZIP 07043ZIP 07102ZIP 07028ZIP 07004ZIP 07041ZIP 07068
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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