Essex County, Vermont Demographics 2026

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

Essex County, Vermont has a population of 5,982, the 14th most populous county in Vermont. The median household income is $59,294 and the median home value is $172,500. The poverty rate is 13.9%.

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

Essex County Quick Facts

Population 5,982

Median Household Income $59,294

Median Home Value $172,500

Poverty Rate 13.9%

Unemployment Rate 4.8%

Median Age 51.9 years

Homeownership Rate 82.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.5%

High School Graduation 89.7%

Cities/Places 6

Population 5,982 14th of 14

Median Income $59,294 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.9%

Unemployment 4.8%

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	5,972	5,982	+0.2%
Median household income	$58,985	$59,294	+0.5%
Median home value	$167,500	$172,500	+3.0%

Median Household Income

Essex

$59,294

$81,203

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Essex

$172,500

$316,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.9%

$25K-$50K 23.3%

$50K-$100K 32.7%

$100K+ 25.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.2%

$10K-$15K

5.9%

$15K-$20K

4.1%

$20K-$25K

5.7%

$25K-$30K

5.3%

$30K-$35K

5.5%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

3.9%

$45K-$50K

5.1%

$50K-$60K

8.4%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

10.6%

$125K-$150K

3.4%

$150K-$200K

6.8%

$200K+

4.3%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

55.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 82.4%

Renter 17.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $827/mo 16.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.7%

18-34

15.8%

35-54

22.8%

55-74

33.5%

75+

11.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 19 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Essex County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Island Pond	852	$46,214	27.6%	$145,800
Canaan	293	$60,263	7.5%	$121,500
Lunenburg	201	$60,500	8.6%	$172,400
Gilman	165	$57,788	0.0%	$98,500
Concord	143	$47,115	25.2%	$128,400
Beecher Falls	67	$26,042	10.4%	$98,100

Explore Vermont 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 Vermont with a total population of 5,982. It is the 14th most populous county out of 14 in Vermont. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Essex County is 51.9 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 43.1 years. 11.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Essex County is $59,294. This is 27% lower than the state median of $81,203. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.9%. This is 38% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 35% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $172,500. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $316,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Essex County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 82.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Essex County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.6%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.1%.

Education

21.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 51% lower than the state rate of 43.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.7%.

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 Vermont 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, Vermont?

Essex County has a population of 5,982, making it the 14th most populous county in Vermont.

What is the median income in Essex County?

The median household income in Essex County is $59,294 with a poverty rate of 13.9%.

How many cities are in Essex County, Vermont?

Essex County contains 6 Census-designated places.