United States › Virginia › Essex County COUNTY
Essex County Virginia · 10,654 residents (2025 est.) · 257 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Essex County is a county of 10,623 people in Virginia. The median age is 47.1, about 8 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 39%. The average commute runs 39 minutes. 4% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 43%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,989 in 2000
10,654 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 42 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 9K 10K 11K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Essex County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,520
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,395 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,994 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.398 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.1%
Education & health services 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$238,100
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$972
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $539 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.3% in 2000
28.3% rent
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 57.7%(5,762)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(72)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 53.2%(5,653)
Hispanic / Latino 4.6%(488)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 22 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 Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 17.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 26.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.3%(1,184)
Women 15+
Never married 25.3%(1,252)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.7%(125)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.6%(169)
Share of the 635 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 Head to head
Compare Essex County to nearby counties ESSEX COUNTY VS
Richmond County
Income $66,304 +17%
Home value $231,500 −3%
Population 9,294 −13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
Westmoreland County
Income $63,398 +12%
Home value $269,600 +13%
Population 19,715 +85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
King and Queen County
Income $70,469 +25%
Home value $231,600 −3%
Population 6,743 −37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESSEX COUNTY VS
King William County
Income $86,056 +52%
Home value $315,700 +33%
Population 19,617 +84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Essex County, Virginia? Essex County, Virginia has about 10,623 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Essex County, Virginia? The typical household in Essex County, Virginia earns about $56,520 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Essex County, Virginia expensive? In Essex County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $238,100, and the typical rent is about $972 a month.
How educated are people in Essex County, Virginia? About 16.6% of adults age 25 and over in Essex County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Essex County, Virginia? About 12.3% of people in Essex County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Essex County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Essex County, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,934 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 