Essex
county · 15 metrics · 5y change · report
Home value index, single-family
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| Period | Value | Source | Matched by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | $675,065 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2026-05-01 | $674,181 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2026-04-01 | $673,382 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2026-03-01 | $672,606 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2026-02-01 | $670,403 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2026-01-01 | $668,384 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-12-01 | $665,782 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-11-01 | $662,440 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-10-01 | $659,079 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-09-01 | $656,896 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-08-01 | $655,388 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-07-01 | $654,179 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-06-01 | $652,065 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-05-01 | $650,065 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-04-01 | $648,655 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-03-01 | $647,320 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-02-01 | $646,302 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2025-01-01 | $644,755 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-12-01 | $643,103 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-11-01 | $641,745 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-10-01 | $640,061 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-09-01 | $637,756 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-08-01 | $634,418 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
| 2024-07-01 | $630,605 | zillow_zhvi | fips |
Observed rent index, all homes
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| Period | Value | Source | Matched by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | $2,274 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2026-05-01 | $2,276 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2026-04-01 | $2,277 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2026-03-01 | $2,264 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2026-02-01 | $2,258 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2026-01-01 | $2,253 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-12-01 | $2,267 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-11-01 | $2,274 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-10-01 | $2,280 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-09-01 | $2,272 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-08-01 | $2,258 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-07-01 | $2,248 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-06-01 | $2,245 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-05-01 | $2,248 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-04-01 | $2,232 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-03-01 | $2,221 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-02-01 | $2,207 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2025-01-01 | $2,211 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-12-01 | $2,192 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-11-01 | $2,185 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-10-01 | $2,171 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-09-01 | $2,174 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-08-01 | $2,170 | zillow_zori | fips |
| 2024-07-01 | $2,162 | zillow_zori | fips |
Median household income
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| Period | Value | Source | Matched by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-01-01 | $76,712 | census_acs | fips |
| 2018-01-01 | $73,785 | census_acs | fips |
| 2017-01-01 | $67,826 | census_acs | fips |
| 2016-01-01 | $63,959 | census_acs | fips |
| 2015-01-01 | $61,510 | census_acs | fips |
Current values
Each metric’s most recent reading, ranked against peers by value rather than by change. The MOD-IV assessment aggregates appear only here: they are a single published snapshot, and a change needs two observations.
| Metric | Value | Rank | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,459 | 15 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | census_acs |
| Median household income | $76,712 | 20 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | census_acs |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $494,400 | 7 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | census_acs |
| Total population | 854,130 | 3 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | census_acs |
| Renters paying over 30% of income on housing | 0.52 | 17 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | census_acs |
| Area median income (HUD) | $130,300 | 6 / 21 | 2024-12-31 | hud |
| Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household | $97,800 | 5 / 21 | 2024-12-31 | hud |
| Net migration, tax returns | -4,174 | 21 / 21 | 2022-12-31 | irs_migration |
| Residential units permitted | 3,364 | 4 / 21 | 2024-12-31 | census_permits |
| Home value to area median income | 4.81 | 16 / 21 | 2024-12-31 | hip_derived |
| Home value to household income | 7.48 | 20 / 21 | 2023-12-31 | hip_derived |
| Annual rent to household income | 0.32 | 16 / 18 | 2023-12-31 | hip_derived |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 17 / 21 | 2025-12-31 | bls |
| Home value index, single-family | $675,065 | 5 / 21 | 2026-06-30 | zillow_zhvi |
| Observed rent index, all homes | $2,274 | 11 / 19 | 2026-06-30 | zillow_zori |
Interpretation
written by Gemma 4 E4B · ollamaThe underlying figures have changed since this was written. Treat it as out of date until it is regenerated.
Essex County has experienced significant population growth, increasing its total population by 7.4% over the 2019-2023 window, ranking it second among the 21 counties. This growth coincided with strong income increases, as the median household income rose by 24.7% and the Area median income reached $130,300. However, the region saw a dramatic decline in net migration, with tax returns showing a decrease of 91.4% between 2018 and 2022, ranking it worst among peers.
Housing costs have risen substantially, with the median owner-occupied home value increasing by 28.1% and the median gross rent rising by 23.9% over their respective windows. Despite these increases, the region maintains a relatively favorable position regarding affordability, ranking fourth among peers for the home value to household income ratio, which saw a 7.7% increase. Furthermore, the annual rent to household income ratio increased by 5.1%, yet the region still ranks fifth among the 16 counties for this metric. The labor market appears strong, with the unemployment rate dropping 36.5% to 5.4%, ranking the county fifth among peers.
It is important to note that the data includes several caveats: the 5-year estimates from the American Community Survey overlap by four years, meaning consecutive estimates are not independent measurements. Additionally, when comparing ranks, users should only compare them within the cohort size reported for that specific metric, as not every region carries every data point.
Generated by a local language model from this region's analysis packet. It is interpretation of computed metrics, not a measurement, and not advice.
Caveats
- ACS 5-year vintages overlap by four years, so consecutive estimates are not independent measurements and short windows understate the real separation.
- Affordability ratios are computed by this platform from two published series, not published by either source. The monthly value or rent series is averaged over the survey year to match the annual income denominator.
- Zillow's rent index begins in 2015 and covers far fewer places than its home-value index, so any rent figure rests on a thinner base — and ranks against a smaller cohort — than a value figure.
- HUD publishes income limits per county, so every AMI-based figure here is a county figure. HUD does not sanction allocating one down to a municipality.