Essex County, Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 33% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
- top 6% for amenities nearby
- top 10% for sales tax
- bottom 4% for commute time
Essex County is a county in Virginia with about 11,000 residents. It grades B for safety & wellbeing and F for weather. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, sales tax, and airport distance. It rates lower on unemployment and commute time.
Official websiteessex-virginia.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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61%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.2 in
muggy 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$52k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 45% of US counties
Home Value$217k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$942better than 29% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 47% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.63%better than 71% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.34%better than 34% of US counties
Unemployment9.9%better than 5% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.5 in56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall8.9 inbetter than 56% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 32% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk18.6better than 79% of US counties
School Quality58.3better than 57% of US counties
Violent Crime1142/100kbetter than 28% of US counties
Property Crime1048/100kbetter than 43% of US counties
Community
Population10,60224th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.986th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5385th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.893rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)54.0%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)37.7%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.4%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time35 minbetter than 4% of US counties
Walkability5.1/20better than 20% of US counties
Airport Distance37 mibetter than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access70.7%better than 7% of US counties
Amenities Nearby16.03better than 94% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Essex County an affordable place to live?
- Essex County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 45% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Essex County?
- The median home value in Essex County is $217k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Essex County?
- Median household income in Essex County is $52k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Essex County?
- Median gross rent in Essex County is $942 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Essex County safe?
- Essex County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1142/100k (better than 28%). Property crime is 1048/100k.
- What is the weather like in Essex County?
- Essex County averages 79°F in July and 38°F in January, with 45.5 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Essex County?
- Public-school quality in Essex County is about average, scoring better than 57% 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 35 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
Data sources
- 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)