Essex County, MA

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Population

785,205

0.794% growth

Median Age

40.8


Median Household Income

$75,480

2.14% growth

Poverty Rate

10.9%


Number of Employees

408,836

2.39% growth

Median Property Value

$405,500

5.49% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Essex County, MA had a population of 785k people with a median age of 40.8 and a median household income of $75,480. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Essex County, MA grew from 779,018 to 785,205, a 0.794% increase and its median household income grew from $73,901 to $75,480, a 2.14% increase.

The population of Essex County, MA is 70.4% White Alone, 21% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.34% Asian Alone. 25.1% of the people in Essex County, MA speak a non-English language, and 92.4% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Essex County, MA are Salem State University (2,306 degrees awarded in 2016), North Shore Community College (1,160 degrees), and Endicott College (1,142 degrees).

The median property value in Essex County, MA is $405,500, and the homeownership rate is 64.2%. Most people in Essex County, MA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 28.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Essex County, MA is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Whale watching in Gloucester

Photo by Michelle Callahan

United StatesMassachusettsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Economy

The economy of Essex County, MA employs 409k people. The largest industries in Essex County, MA are Health Care & Social Assistance (69,543 people), Retail Trade (45,410 people), and Manufacturing (43,069 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($140,208), Finance & Insurance ($81,046), and Utilities ($80,702).

Median household income in Essex County, MA is $75,480. Males in Essex County, MA have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,619. The income inequality in Essex County, MA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.484, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$75,480

2017 value

± $1,846

2.14%

1 Year Growth

± 4.08%

Households in Essex County, MA have a median annual income of $75,480, which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $73,901 in 2016, which represents a 2.14% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Essex County, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the county level, so we are showing data for the Massachusetts.

$86,839

Average Male Salary

± $1,813

$65,619

Average Female Salary

± $1,325

In 2017, full-time male employees in Essex County, MA made 1.32 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Essex County, MA by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the county level, so we are showing data for the Massachusetts.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $74,395 ± $4,445

  2. White

    $67,530 ± $1,140

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $50,403 ± $38,348

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Essex County, MA workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.1 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Essex County, MA by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Essex County, MA is from Massachusetts.

0.484

2017 Wage GINI

0.48

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.484 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.775% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 2544.03

  2. Census Tract 2543.01

  3. Census Tract 2532.05

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Essex County, MA was Census Tract 2544.03 with a value of $158,849, followed by Census Tract 2543.01 and Census Tract 2532.05, with respective values of $156,995 and $156,429.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Essex County, MA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Essex County, MA (82.4k out of 759k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    52,072 ± 1,680

  2. Hispanic

    36,260 ± 1,389

  3. Other

    17,586 ± 1,022

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Essex County, MA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

409k

2017 Value

± 10,396

2.39%

1 Year growth

± 3.52%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Essex County, MA grew at a rate of 2.39%, from 399k employees to 409k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Essex County, MA, are Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (26,823 people), Building Cleaning & Pest Control Workers (12,625 people), and Other Personal Care & Service Workers Except Personal Appearance, Baggage Porters, Concierges, & Child Care Workers (10,238 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Essex County, MA.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Essex County, MA, by number of employees, are Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (26,823 people), Building Cleaning & Pest Control Workers (12,625 people), and Other Personal Care & Service Workers Except Personal Appearance, Baggage Porters, Concierges, & Child Care Workers (10,238 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Essex County, MA has an unusually high number of residents working as Baggage Porters & Concierges, & Tour & Travel Guides (2.62 times higher than expected), Judges, Magistrates, & Other Judicial Workers (2.59 times), and Fire Fighting & Prevention Workers (2.11 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Essex County, MA, by median earnings, are Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($91,840), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($88,989), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($86,066).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

409k

2017 Value

± 10,396

2.39%

1 Year growth

± 3.52%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Essex County, MA grew at a rate of 2.39%, from 399k employees to 409k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Essex County, MA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (69,543 people), Retail Trade (45,410 people), and Manufacturing (43,069 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Essex County, MA, though some of these residents may live in Essex County, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Essex County, MA, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (69,543 people), Retail Trade (45,410 people), and Manufacturing (43,069 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Essex County, MA has an unusually high number of Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1.24 times higher than expected), Health Care & Social Assistance (1.22 times), and Management of Companies & Enterprises (1.14 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Essex County, MA, by median earnings, are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($140,208), Finance & Insurance ($81,046), and Utilities ($80,702).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Gasoline

    $31.5B

  2. Mixed freight

    $27.2B

  3. Electronics

    $24.1B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $31.5B, followed by Mixed freight with $27.2B and Electronics and $24.1B.

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Massachusetts products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Massachusetts state.

$240B

2015 Value

$364B

Projected 2045 Value

51.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound Massachusetts trade was $240B. This is expected to increase 51.4% to $364B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Massachusetts trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. New Hampshire

    $13.2B

  2. New York

    $13.2B

  3. Connecticut

    $12.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Hampshire with $13.2B, followed by New York with $13.2B and Connecticut and $12.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Massachusetts shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

96.6% of the population of Essex County, MA has health coverage, with 50.9% on employee plans, 20.4% on Medicaid, 11.4% on Medicare, 13.2% on non-group plans, and 0.639% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Essex County, MA was $10,559 in 2014. This is a 2.78% increase from the previous year ($10,273).

Primary care physicians in Essex County, MA see 1278 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.35% increase from the previous year (1261 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1137 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 204 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (11.4%). Additionally, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (29.1%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1278 to 1

Primary Care Physicians

Primary care physicians in Essex County, MA see an average of 1278 patients per year. This represents a 1.35% increase from the previous year (1261 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Essex County, MA in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

$10,559

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$5,302

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,922

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,899

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Massachusetts (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 2.78%, from $10,273 to $10,559.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

3.44%

Uninsured

50.9%

Employer Coverage

20.4%

Medicaid

11.4%

Medicare

13.2%

Non-Group

0.639%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Essex County, MA grew by 25.4% from 2.74% to 3.44%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Essex County, MA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Bristol County

    11.4% prevalence

  2. Hampden County

    11.1% prevalence

  3. Plymouth County

    10.8% prevalence

Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts, at 11.4%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Essex County, MA is home to a population of 785k people, from which 92.4% are citizens. As of 2017, 16.1% of Essex County, MA residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Essex County, MA is composed of 553k White Alone residents (70.4%), 165k Hispanic or Latino residents (21%), 26.2k Asian Alone residents (3.34%), 26.1k Black or African American Alone residents (3.33%), 13k Two or More Races residents (1.65%), 1.11k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.142%), 1.05k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.134%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Essex County, MA are Spanish or Spanish Creole (114,275 speakers), Portuguese or Portuguese Creole (8,949 speakers), and French (Incl. Patois, Cajun) (7,734 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

40

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.5

44

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.4

In 2017, the median age of all people in Essex County, MA was 40.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 40, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 44. But people in Essex County, MA are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Essex County, MA residents was 41.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

16.1%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

15.7%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 16.1% of Essex County, MA residents were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Essex County, MA was 15.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Essex County, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. China

    92,810 ± 7,429 people

  2. Dominican Republic

    90,391 ± 7,333 people

  3. Brazil

    80,753 ± 6,936 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Essex County, MA was China, the natal country of 92,810 Essex County, MA residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 90,391 and Brazil with 80,753.

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Citizenship

92.4%

2017 Citizenship

92.8%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 92.4% of Essex County, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Essex County, MA was 92.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Essex County, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    553k ± 760

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    165k ± 9.5k

  3. Asian Alone

    26.2k ± 1.19k

In 2017, there were 3.35 times more White Alone residents (553k people) in Essex County, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 165k Hispanic or Latino and 26.2k Asian Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Essex County, MA as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    114,275 speakers (15.6%)

  2. Portuguese or Portuguese Creole

    8,949 speakers (1.22%)

  3. French (Incl. Patois, Cajun)

    7,734 speakers (1.06%)

25.1% of Essex County, MA citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is higher than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Essex County, MA was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 15.6% of the overall population of Essex County, MA are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 1.22% speak Portuguese or Portuguese Creole and 1.06% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    10,778 ± 1,403

  2. Korea

    4,374 ± 865

  3. Gulf War (2001-)

    3,957 ± 1,098

Essex County, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.46 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Essex County, MA awarded 8,429 degrees. The student population of Essex County, MA is skewed towards women, with 14,403 male students and 21,061 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Essex County, MA are White (5,716 and 70.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (977 and 12%), Unknown (522 and 6.42%), and Black or African American (517 and 6.36%).

The largest universities in Essex County, MA by number of degrees awarded are Salem State University (2,306 and 27.4%), North Shore Community College (1,160 and 13.8%), and Endicott College (1,142 and 13.5%).

The most popular majors in Essex County, MA are General Business Administration & Management (574 and 6.81%), Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (407 and 4.83%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (361 and 4.28%).

The median tuition costs in Essex County, MA are $30,612 for private four year colleges, and $910 and $7,050 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    298 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    252 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    239 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Essex County, MA was General Business Administration & Management with 298 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Essex County, MA according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Salem State University

    2,306 degrees awarded

  2. North Shore Community College

    1,160 degrees awarded

  3. Endicott College

    1,142 degrees awarded

$910

Median In-State Public

$30,612

Median Private

In 2016, the Essex County, MA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Salem State University with 2,306 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

3,379

Degrees Awarded to Men

5,050

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 3,379 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Essex County, MA, which is 0.669 times less than the 5,050 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Essex County, MA by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    5,716 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    977 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    522 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Essex County, MA were to White students. These 5,716 degrees mean that there were 5.85 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 977 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Essex County, MA was $405,500 in 2017, which is 1.86 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $384,400 to $405,500, a 5.49% increase. The homeownership rate in Essex County, MA is 64.2%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Essex County, MA have an average commute time of 28.8 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Essex County, MA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$75,480

Median Household Income

± $1,846

294k

Number of Households

± 8,673

In 2017, the median household income of the 294k households in Essex County, MA grew to $75,480 from the previous year's value of $73,901.

The following chart displays the households in Essex County, MA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$405,500

2017 Median

± $7,603

$384,400

2016 Median

± $5,102

In 2017, the median property value in Essex County, MA grew to to $405,500 from the previous year's value of $384,400.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Essex County, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Essex County, MA the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Essex County, MA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Essex County, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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Rent vs Own

64.2%

2017 Homeownership

64.5%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 64.2% of the housing units in Essex County, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.5%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Essex County, MA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Essex County, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Essex County, MA have 2 cars, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

28.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Essex County, MA have a longer commute time (28.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 4.83% of the workforce in Essex County, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Essex County, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    75.2%

  2. Carpooled

    8.2%

  3. Public Transit

    6.09%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Essex County, MA was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Public Transit.

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