Essex County vs Middlesex County
Essex County, New Jersey versus Middlesex County, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Essex County and Middlesex County score about the same overall (37 vs 38 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Essex County | Middlesex County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $105k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $60k |
| Home Value | $467k | $412k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.14% | 2.29% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 26.43% | 21.84% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7 in | 49.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.5 in | 27.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 193 days | 177 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 74 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| Air Quality | — | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1023/100k | 693/100k |
| Property Crime | 1635/100k | 1246/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 853,374 | 860,147 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 39.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+56 | D+22 |
| White (%) | 28.5% | 40.0% |
| Black (%) | 36.7% | 9.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 24.0% | 22.3% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 24.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 13.3/20 | 11.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 22 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.9% | 92.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 7.30 | 3.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Essex County or Middlesex County more affordable?
- Essex County has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Essex County's $58k and Middlesex County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Essex County versus $2k in Middlesex County.
- Is Essex County or Middlesex County safer?
- Middlesex County has the lower violent crime rate. Essex County reports 1023/100k and Middlesex County reports 693/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Essex County or Middlesex County?
- The median home value is $467k in Essex County and $412k in Middlesex County, so homes are more affordable in Middlesex County.