Essex County, New Jersey Demographics 2026

Name: Essex County, New Jersey Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Essex County, New Jersey has a population of 863,002, the 3rd most populous county in New Jersey. The median household income is $80,789 and the median home value is $524,100. The poverty rate is 14.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Essex County Quick Facts

Population 863,002

Median Household Income $80,789

Median Home Value $524,100

Poverty Rate 14.6%

Unemployment Rate 8.7%

Median Age 37.7 years

Homeownership Rate 44.9%

Affordability Ratio 6.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 39.1%

High School Graduation 86.7%

Cities/Places 17

Population 863,002 3rd of 21

Median Income $80,789 22% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.6%

Unemployment 8.7%

How Essex County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	854,130	863,002	+1.0%
Median household income	$76,712	$80,789	+5.3%
Median home value	$494,400	$524,100	+6.0%

Median Household Income

Essex

$80,789

$103,556

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Essex

$524,100

$454,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.9%

$25K-$50K 15.3%

$50K-$100K 24.8%

$100K+ 42.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.0%

$10K-$15K

4.6%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.3%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

3.3%

$35K-$40K

2.8%

$40K-$45K

3.1%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

5.7%

$60K-$75K

8.5%

$75K-$100K

10.7%

$100K-$125K

8.4%

$125K-$150K

6.3%

$150K-$200K

8.5%

$200K+

18.7%

Employment

8.7% Unemployment Rate State: 6.3%|National: 5.2%

66.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 44.9%

Renter 55.1%

Affordability Index Expensive

6.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,531/mo 22.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.6%

18-34

22.4%

35-54

27.7%

55-74

20.4%

75+

5.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very High Diversity

This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.

State average: 66 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Essex County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Newark	310,178	$52,060	23.4%	$373,700
East Orange	70,090	$60,830	16.4%	$365,900
Short Hills	14,923	$250,000+	2.3%	$1,674,100
Upper Montclair	12,457	$250,000+	1.9%	$989,000
Brookdale	9,960	$161,779	3.8%	$573,500
Caldwell	9,003	$96,824	8.0%	$575,400
Watsessing	8,232	$103,378	7.5%	$435,400
Glen Ridge	7,943	$250,000+	1.1%	$836,600
North Caldwell	6,656	$208,245	1.7%	$904,500
Roseland	6,268	$164,458	2.5%	$665,700
Vauxhall	6,157	$111,421	7.3%	$360,000
Ampere North	5,029	$66,714	20.5%	$365,600
Silver Lake (Essex County)	3,917	$82,469	15.1%	$448,300
Montclair State University	2,853	N/A	N/A	N/A
Essex Fells	2,361	$250,000+	0.9%	$1,083,000
Pleasantdale	2,145	$144,281	0.9%	$579,800
Llewellyn Park	560	$184,833	2.0%	$1,140,000

Explore New Jersey Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Essex County is located in New Jersey with a total population of 863,002. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 21 in New Jersey. The county encompasses 17 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Essex County is 37.7 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 40.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Essex County is $80,789. This is 22% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.6%. This is 51% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate is 8.7%. This is 38% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $524,100. Housing costs are 15% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 44.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% lower than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Essex County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 27.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (35.4% vs 12.2%).

Education

39.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 43.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.7%. Notably, 16.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Essex County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New Jersey and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Essex County, New Jersey?

Essex County has a population of 863,002, making it the 3rd most populous county in New Jersey.

What is the median income in Essex County?

The median household income in Essex County is $80,789 with a poverty rate of 14.6%.

How many cities are in Essex County, New Jersey?

Essex County contains 17 Census-designated places.