Essex, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 82, Essex's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Essex is a small community located in Montana, within Flathead County. The total population is 82. It ranks as the 345th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Essex is 55.6 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 40.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Essex is $60,250. This is 17% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.9%. This is 58% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Essex, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $316,700. Housing costs are 16% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.3x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Essex is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 26.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (26.8% vs 4.6%).

Education

41.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 19% higher than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 16.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Essex, Montana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.