City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Essex, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Essex - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,775
Residents
$156,094
Median income
$774,400
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Essex - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Essex places in the 95th percentile for household income and the 79th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

95th
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
79th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Essex, MA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,775 residents in Essex, a small town within Massachusetts. The typical household in Essex brings in $156,094 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.0%. Typical homes in Essex are valued around $774,400, and the median resident age is 42.2 years. About 67.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 79.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Essex reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 636.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,941 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Massachusetts run around $330, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,775 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$156,094 /yr

Poverty 2.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Essex compare to other US cities?

Essex measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 95% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 79% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Essex ranks #44 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Essex against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Essex toward the top of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Essex ranks #33 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Essex only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#29 of 233
88th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#4 of 247
68th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#36 of 240
85th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#181 of 247
25th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#33 of 247
87th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

95thIncome percentile
79thSafety percentile

95th percentile nationally for median household income · 79th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Essex's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Essex's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
Essex's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Essex's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$774,400 6th percentile more affordable than 6% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Essex $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Essex, MA Essex, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Essex, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Essex, MA median $156,094/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Essex, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Essex, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 67.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 79.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,775
Median Income
$156,094
Median Home Value
$774,400
Median Age
42.2
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Labor force participation
79.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
67.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
636.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
291.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
344.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
64.6%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
10.0%
Work from Home
14.5%

Based on 1,023 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Essex sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Bourne
1,765 people
Monson Center
1,794 people
Shelburne Falls
1,755 people
Rutland
1,796 people
Hanscom AFB
1,745 people
Lenox
1,809 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Essex's 1,775 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Milan, IN
1,775 people
Cade, LA
1,775 people
Charlack, MO
1,775 people
Voorhees, NJ
1,775 people
Addison, NY
1,775 people
Churchill, OH
1,775 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Essex's $156,094 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Martell, CA
$156,094 median income
Crosswicks, NJ
$156,063 median income
Penn Wynne, PA
$156,056 median income
Windermere, FL
$156,042 median income
North Merrick, NY
$156,023 median income
Turnersville, NJ
$156,176 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Essex, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Essex, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 99.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.9% White 99.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 0.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Essex compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Essex (this city) 1,775 $156,094
Bourne 1,765 $125,366
Monson Center 1,794 $58,603
Shelburne Falls 1,755 $52,604
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Essex, MA?

What is the population of Essex, MA? +

The population of Essex, MA stands at 1,775 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Essex, MA? +

Essex households earn a median of $156,094 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Essex? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Essex; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Essex, MA safe? +

Essex has a total crime rate of 636.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Essex, MA? +

A typical home in Essex is worth $774,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.