Essex County, New Jersey

NJ · FIPS 34013 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 863,002 #71 / 3,222
98th
Median Household Income $80,789 +7.5% #548 / 3,222
83th
Median Age 37.7 years -3.1% #2,643 / 3,222
18th
Median Home Value $524,100 +85.9% #123 / 3,222
96th
Median Gross Rent $1,531 +31.6% #228 / 3,222
93th
Poverty Rate 14.6% +16.2% #1,884 / 3,222
42th

Demographics

Essex County has a population of 863,002, making it the #71 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.7 years, which is 3.1% below the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

69.9%
Native Born
30.1%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Essex County is $80,789, ranking #548 out of 3,222 counties — 7.5% above the national median. The poverty rate is 14.6% and unemployment stands at 8.7%.

Median Household Income
$80,789 +7.5% vs nat'l
Rank #548 of 3,222
83th percentile
Per Capita Income
$49,449 +19.8% vs nat'l
Rank #230 of 3,222
93th percentile
Poverty Rate
14.6% +16.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,884 of 3,222
42th percentile
Unemployment Rate
8.7% +64.4% vs nat'l
Rank #3,007 of 3,222
7th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
39.1% +16.2% vs nat'l
Rank #307 of 3,222
90th percentile
Mean Commute Time
37.1 min +34.4% vs nat'l
Rank #155 of 3,222
95th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Essex County is $524,100 (+85.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,531/mo and the homeownership rate is 44.9%.

Median Home Value
$524,100 +85.9% vs nat'l
Rank #123 of 3,222
96th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$1,531 +31.6% vs nat'l
Rank #228 of 3,222
93th percentile
Homeownership Rate
44.9% −30.3% vs nat'l
Rank #3,196 of 3,222
1th percentile
44.9% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

88.1% of residents in Essex County have health insurance coverage, which is 3.9% below the national rate.

88.1% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
88.1% −3.9% vs nat'l
Rank #2,529 of 3,222
22th percentile

About Essex County, New Jersey

Essex County, New Jersey has a total population of 863,002, making it the 71st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Essex County is 37.7 years, which is 3.1% below the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Essex County is $80,789, which ranks #548 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 7.5% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 8.7%.

The median home value in Essex County is $524,100, 85.9% above the national median. Renters in Essex County pay a median gross rent of $1,531 per month. The homeownership rate is 44.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Essex County, 39.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 37.1 min.

Essex County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black (non-Hispanic) at 35.4% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (27.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (25.2%).

All data for Essex County, New Jersey comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.