Essex County, New Jersey
Located in New Jersey, Essex County has a population of 863,002 residents and a median age of 37.7 years, making it the #71 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.6%. The median home value is $524,100, and the median household income is $80,789, which is 8% above the national median.
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
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
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 Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
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 Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Essex County, 39.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 16.2% above the national average, ranking #307 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Essex County is 77.7 years. 16.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
12.4% of adults in Essex County smoke , 29.1% are obese , and 16.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 42.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Essex County is 11.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 5.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 6.2 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
18.4% of children in Essex County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 13.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Essex County is 66.5%. The mean commute time is 37.1 min, which is 34.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Essex County voted Democratic with a margin of 44.9%. The vote was 71.7% Dem / 26.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 10.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
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.