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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Essex County

New York · 37,381 residents · 1,794 sq mi
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The short version

Essex County is home to 37,381 people in New York. The median age is 47.5, about 9 years above the US median. 73% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 4%. The typical home is worth $160,400, having more than doubled since 2000. That trails the New York median by roughly 18%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 47.5
US median: 38.8
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
37,381
−4%since 2000
from 38,851 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
47.5
+21%since 2000
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,794 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K37K38K39K40K19902000201020202024Essex County
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.5%(1,677)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.7%(1,760)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.4%(2,012)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.4%(2,013)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.6%(1,712)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.5%(4,286)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.1%(4,167)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.4%(4,622)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6416.7%(6,232)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7413.7%(5,134)
US avg: 10%
75 to 847.2%(2,687)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.9%(1,079)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,109
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,823 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,906
+86%since 2000
from $18,194 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
37.6%
+13.0 ptssince 2009
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
10.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade9.6%
US avg: 10%
Information9.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.7%
US avg: 1.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Construction2.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.5%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
US avg: 2.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$160,400
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$810
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $452 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
73.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 73.8% in 2000
26.8% rent
Persons per household
2.14 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.8
−15%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.6%(36,346)
Black2.6%(1,025)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(851)
Asian0.4%(159)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic90.2%(33,714)
Black1.6%(610)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(978)
Asian0.6%(229)
Other2%(750)
Segregation Score
46
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 Rican0.9%(326)
Mexican0.6%(238)
Dominican0.3%(118)
Cuban0.3%(96)
Spaniard0.1%(44)
Peruvian0.1%(39)
Ecuadorian0.1%(27)
Panamanian0.1%(24)
Salvadoran0.1%(23)
Colombian0%(13)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.1%(40)
Korean0.1%(25)
Thai0%(8)
Chinese0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(13)
Chamorro0%(11)
Fijian0%(3)
Ancestry
Irish18.7%(6,989)
French14.1%(5,249)
English13.7%(5,100)
German11.8%(4,415)
Italian8.2%(3,064)
American5.4%(2,008)
Polish4.7%(1,737)
French Canadian3.8%(1,423)
Scottish3.2%(1,180)
Dutch2.4%(902)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(673)
Swedish1.4%(507)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
British1.1%(415)
Welsh0.9%(334)
Norwegian0.8%(309)
Lithuanian0.6%(238)
Russian0.6%(226)
Canadian0.6%(209)
Austrian0.5%(198)
Greek0.5%(176)
Serbian0.5%(171)
Ukrainian0.4%(139)
West Indian0.3%(121)
Hungarian0.3%(119)
Danish0.3%(108)
Romanian0.3%(107)
Swiss0.2%(69)
Finnish0.2%(68)
Jamaican0.2%(66)
Lebanese0.1%(54)
Czech0.1%(48)
Ethiopian0.1%(41)
Slovak0.1%(36)
Armenian0.1%(25)
Syrian0.1%(24)
Portuguese0.1%(19)
Haitian0%(18)
Belgian0%(16)
Latvian0%(13)
Slovene0%(8)
Israeli0%(4)
Arab0%(1)
Kenyan0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.8%
+11.6 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
90.5%
+10.1 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
13.3%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.6 min
+52%since 2000
from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
76.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
8.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.7%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
55.4%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 58.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
37.1%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Female
47.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
3.5%
−6.3 ptssince 2013
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
86.3%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
3.5%
−6.3 ptssince 2013
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
57.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.6%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
27.2%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
21.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
72.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
45.6%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)10.1%(243)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)16%(385)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.3%(924)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5.6%(134)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4.3%(104)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,412 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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+54%
Home value$361,200+125%
Population38,048+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Warren County
Income$78,442+35%
Home value$267,400+67%
Population65,020+78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Franklin County
Income$65,151+12%
Home value$145,400−9%
Population46,500+28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Chittenden County
Income$96,759+67%
Home value$439,200+174%
Population169,115+364%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Essex County, New York?

Essex County, New York has about 37,381 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Essex County, New York earns about $58,109 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 $160,400, and the typical rent is about $810 a month.

How educated are people in Essex County, New York?

About 29.8% 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 10.1% 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 grown since 1990. The population has added about 229 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →