Essex County, New York
Among the top 23% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 17% for park & nature access
- bottom 3% for income tax
Essex County is a county in New York with about 37,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for weather. Standout strengths include school quality, park & nature access, and summer humidity. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websiteco.essex.ny.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
68%37%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in2.7 in
humid 37%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$190k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$875better than 39% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 25% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.73%better than 7% of US counties
Income Tax10.90%better than 3% of US counties
Sales Tax8.53%better than 23% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden18.54%better than 4% of US counties
Unemployment5.1%better than 43% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)18°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.4 in44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall76.2 inbetter than 5% of US counties
Sunny Days207 daysbetter than 21% of US counties
Summer Humidity59°Fbetter than 80% of US counties
Comfortable Days65 daysbetter than 20% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.7better than 36% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime564/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime578/100kbetter than 68% of US counties
Community
Population37,31461st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age49.292nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1321st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0784th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.9%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.4%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.9%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 56% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 37% of US counties
Airport Distance163 mibetter than 21% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.2%better than 74% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.34better than 41% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Essex County an affordable place to live?
- Essex County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Essex County?
- The median home value in Essex County is $190k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Essex County?
- Median household income in Essex County is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Essex County?
- Median gross rent in Essex County is $875 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Essex County safe?
- Essex County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 564/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 578/100k.
- What is the weather like in Essex County?
- Essex County averages 68°F in July and 18°F in January, with 40.4 in of annual precipitation and about 207 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Essex County?
- Public-school quality in Essex County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Essex County?
- The average one-way commute in Essex County is 24 min.
Other counties in New York
Explore New York
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)