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COUNTY

Essex County

New York · 36,438 residents (2025 est.) · 1,794.122 sq mi
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The short version

Essex County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $71,661. Population has declined 5% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $211,900. With a median age of 49.9, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
36,973
−5%since 2000
from 38,851 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
21 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 21 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
49.9
+27%since 2000
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:36,438 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
37K37K38K39K40K1990201020202024Essex County
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.6%(1,315)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.1%(1,512)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.6%(1,693)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.8%(1,781)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.3%(1,574)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.2%(4,149)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.8%(4,375)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(4,596)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.8%(6,221)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415.6%(5,750)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.5%(2,773)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.3%(1,234)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,661
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,823 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$42,694
+135%since 2000
from $18,194 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.2%
+23.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.455
+8%since 2010
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade9.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Information8.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$211,900
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$934
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $452 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.3%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 73.8% in 2000
22.7% rent
Vacancy rate
35.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 35.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.8%
−6.5 ptssince 2009
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.4%
+8.2 ptssince 2009
from 33.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
−9%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
50
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Essex County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.6%(36,346)
Black2.6%(1,025)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(851)
Asian0.4%(159)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(33,858)
Black1.9%(698)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(1,059)
Asian0.6%(234)
Other3%(1,124)
Diversity Score
20
−12%since 2009
from 23 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−25%since 2020
from 46 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.6%(216)
Mexican0.3%(118)
Honduran0.2%(90)
Dominican0.1%(54)
Spaniard0.1%(19)
Cuban0%(13)
Chilean0%(10)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(69)
Pakistani0.1%(44)
Korean0.1%(42)
Chinese0.1%(41)
Asian Indian0.1%(20)
Kazakh0%(3)
Ancestry
Irish19%(7,021)
English16.5%(6,105)
German12.8%(4,727)
French9.5%(3,511)
Italian6%(2,219)
American5.9%(2,194)
Polish4%(1,491)
Scottish3.5%(1,302)
French Canadian3.4%(1,269)
Dutch2.1%(760)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(461)
Swedish1.2%(437)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1%(363)
Welsh0.7%(243)
Swiss0.5%(185)
Ukrainian0.5%(178)
British0.5%(169)
Hungarian0.5%(167)
Lithuanian0.4%(162)
Russian0.4%(153)
Czech0.4%(139)
Austrian0.4%(131)
Canadian0.3%(104)
Greek0.3%(98)
Danish0.3%(93)
Romanian0.2%(92)
Belgian0.1%(52)
West Indian0.1%(36)
Brazilian0.1%(33)
Serbian0.1%(32)
Jamaican0.1%(29)
Turkish0.1%(27)
Arab0.1%(26)
Portuguese0.1%(25)
Macedonian0.1%(22)
Armenian0%(16)
Slovak0%(16)
Guyanese0%(11)
Lebanese0%(10)
Finnish0%(10)
Latvian0%(9)
Israeli0%(7)
Slovene0%(7)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest French population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.8%
+14.5 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.1%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.7%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.7 min
+46%since 2000
from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.3%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
13.2%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.4%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.0%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 58.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
17.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.6%
−19.9 ptssince 2009
from 61.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Female
48.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−43.9 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.7%
+3.3 ptssince 2012
from 14.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.0%
−85.2 ptssince 2013
from 90.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.9%
+16.7 ptssince 2017
from 75.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2016
from 93.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.8%
−1.5 ptssince 2016
from 3.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.9%(5,521)
Married51.2%(8,592)
Widowed4.7%(789)
Divorced11.3%(1,895)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(3,858)
Married52%(8,146)
Widowed12.5%(1,961)
Divorced10.8%(1,691)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Essex County

Livingston County
Pop 35,057
Haralson County
Pop 33,066
Lee County
Pop 32,914
Gilmer County
Pop 33,894
Places similar to Essex County
Head to head

Compare Essex County to nearby counties

ESSEX COUNTY VS
Addison County
Income$89,639+25%
Home value$361,200+70%
Population38,048+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Warren County
Income$78,442+9%
Home value$267,400+26%
Population65,020+78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Franklin County
Income$65,151−9%
Home value$145,400−31%
Population46,500+28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Chittenden County
Income$96,759+35%
Home value$439,200+107%
Population169,115+364%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Essex County, New York?

Essex County, New York has about 36,973 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Essex County, New York earns about $71,661 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Essex County, New York expensive?

In Essex County, New York, the median home is worth about $211,900, and the typical rent is about $934 a month.

How educated are people in Essex County, New York?

About 32.8% of adults age 25 and over in Essex County, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 11.2% of people in Essex County, New York live below the federal poverty line.

Has Essex County, New York grown since 1990?

Yes, Essex County, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 179 residents, a change of about -0 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

18 census tracts
Census Tract 9605.02Census Tract 9610.02Census Tract 9612.02Census Tract 9603Census Tract 9601Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9605.01Census Tract 9611Census Tract 9609.02Census Tract 9608Census Tract 9613Census Tract 9607Census Tract 9612.01Census Tract 9614Census Tract 9609.01Census Tract 9610.01Census Tract 9604.02Census Tract 9604.01
29 ZIP codes
ZIP 12946ZIP 12883ZIP 12944ZIP 12928ZIP 12993ZIP 12996ZIP 12870ZIP 12974ZIP 12941ZIP 12932ZIP 12956ZIP 12997ZIP 12977ZIP 12960ZIP 12936ZIP 12950ZIP 12857ZIP 12852ZIP 12942ZIP 12998ZIP 12851ZIP 12943ZIP 12855ZIP 12987ZIP 12858ZIP 12975ZIP 12964ZIP 12872ZIP 12961
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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