Essex County, NJ

County

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2020 Population

798,698

0.414% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bob Menendez

Democratic Party

US Senator

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

37.7

0.266% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

15.3%

3.2% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$63,959

3.98% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$395,900

2.56% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

379,534

0.346% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Essex County, NJ had a population of 799k people with a median age of 37.7 and a median household income of $63,959. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Essex County, NJ grew from 795,404 to 798,698, a 0.414% increase and its median household income grew from $61,510 to $63,959, a 3.98% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Essex County, NJ are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (38%), White (Non-Hispanic) (30%), White (Hispanic) (11.1%), Other (Hispanic) (7.5%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.42%).

None of the households in Essex County, NJ reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

87.4% of the residents in Essex County, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Essex County, NJ are Rutgers University-Newark (3,915 degrees awarded in 2021), Seton Hall University (3,108 degrees), and New Jersey Institute of Technology (3,020 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Essex County, NJ was $395,900, and the homeownership rate was 44.4%.

Most people in Essex County, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 34.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Essex County, NJ was 2 cars per household.

Essex County, NJ borders Bergen County, NJ, Hudson County, NJ, Morris County, NJ, Passaic County, NJ, and Union County, NJ.

About the photo: Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ.

Photo by Joshua Siniscal

United States New Jersey New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Population & Diversity

Essex County, NJ is home to a population of 799k people, from which 87.4% are citizens. As of 2020, 27.7% of Essex County, NJ residents were born outside of the country (221k people).

In 2020, there were 1.27 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (304k people) in Essex County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 240k White (Non-Hispanic) and 88.7k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.4%

2020 Citizenship

87.5%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 87.4% of Essex County, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Essex County, NJ was 87.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Essex County, NJ

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
304k ± 1.62k
White (Non-Hispanic)
240k ± 977
White (Hispanic)
88.7k ± 3.05k

23.3%

Hispanic Population

186k people

23.3% of the people in Essex County, NJ are hispanic (186k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Essex County, NJ as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.

Most Common Origin

India
263,388 ± 12,412 people
Dominican Republic
182,812 ± 10,389 people
Mexico
106,394 ± 7,960 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 263,388 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 182,812 and Mexico with 106,394.

Foreign-Born Population

27.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

221k people

27.2%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

216k people

As of 2020, 27.7% of Essex County, NJ residents (221k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Essex County, NJ was 27.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,465 ± 532
Gulf War (2001-)
2,775 ± 541
Gulf War (1990s)
2,222 ± 428

Essex County, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.97 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Essex County, NJ employs 380k people. The largest industries in Essex County, NJ are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,285 people), Retail Trade (37,412 people), and Educational Services (36,583 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($99,052), Finance & Insurance ($96,854), and Information ($85,162).

Males in New Jersey have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $67,739. The income inequality in New Jersey (measured using the Gini index) is 0.49, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

380k

2020 Value

± 4,951

0.346%

1 Year growth

± 1.75%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Essex County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.346%, from 378k employees to 380k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Essex County, NJ, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (43,219 people), Management Occupations (39,719 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (34,834 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Essex County, NJ.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Jersey (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

380k

2020 Value

± 4,951

0.346%

1 Year growth

± 1.75%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Essex County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.346%, from 378k employees to 380k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Essex County, NJ, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,285 people), Retail Trade (37,412 people), and Educational Services (36,583 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Essex County, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Essex County, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,853

Median earning men ± $1,110

$36,580

Median earning women ± $923

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($103,884), Information ($87,524), and Public Administration ($68,178).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Information ($73,526), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,420), and Public Administration ($55,239).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New Jersey. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Jersey.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

10,080
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
4,092
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
3,875
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$9.59M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$8.99M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$4.31M
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

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

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New Jersey product (by dollars) was Electronics with $68.4B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($64.3B) and Motorized vehicles ($45.5B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New Jersey.

$634B

2020 Value in New Jersey

$1.35T

Projected 2050 Value in New Jersey

113% growth

In 2020, total outbound New Jersey trade was $634B. This is expected to increase 113% to $1.35T by 2050.

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

Interstate Trade

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

Most Common Trade Partners

New York
$114B
Pennsylvania
$59.4B
Ohio
$21.2B

In 2020, the top outbound New Jersey domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $114B, followed by Pennsylvania with $59.4B and Ohio and $21.2B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Essex County, NJ went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 77.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (21.9%), followed by Other (0.498%).

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing the state of New Jersey. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (77.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (21.9%)
Republican Party
Other (0.498%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Essex County, NJ went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 77.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (21.9%), followed by Other (0.498%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Essex County, NJ for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New Jersey

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Bob Menendez

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on January 17, 2006
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jon Corzine, who was elected Governor of New Jersey.

Cory Booker

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on October 31, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Jeffrey Chiesa, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Frank Lautenberg.

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing New Jersey.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New Jersey over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New Jersey

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New Jersey have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Essex County, NJ awarded 12,813 degrees. The student population of Essex County, NJ in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 47,088 male students and 44,974 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Essex County, NJ are White (3,900 and 35.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,533 and 22.8%), Black or African American (1,939 and 17.5%), and Asian (1,677 and 15.1%).

The largest universities in Essex County, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Rutgers University-Newark (3,915 and 30.6%), Seton Hall University (3,108 and 24.3%), and New Jersey Institute of Technology (3,020 and 23.6%).

The most popular majors in Essex County, NJ are General Business Administration & Management (1,180 and 9.21%), Accounting (565 and 4.41%), and General Biological Sciences (557 and 4.35%).

The median tuition costs in Essex County, NJ are $32,790 for private four year colleges, and $13,663 and $30,273 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Essex County, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 76.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 11.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 92,062 (51.1% men and 48.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 92,062 students enrolled in Essex County, NJ, 51.1% men and 48.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 26,720 records, of which 45.1% were women and 54.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
503 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
436 degree-majors awarded
General Finance
404 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Essex County, NJ was General Biological Sciences with 503 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Rutgers University-Newark
3,915 degrees awarded
Seton Hall University
3,108 degrees awarded
New Jersey Institute of Technology
3,020 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Rutgers University-Newark with 3,915 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 6,350 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Essex County, NJ, which is 0.983 times less than the 6,463 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,900 degrees mean that there were 1.54 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,533 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($32,790) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,949) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($2,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.943% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.978% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.89M), Bachelors Degree (1.64M), and Some college (1.28M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Essex County, NJ was $395,900 in 2020, which is 1.72 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $386,000 to $395,900, a 2.56% increase. The homeownership rate in Essex County, NJ is 44.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Essex County, NJ have an average commute time of 34.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Essex County, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Essex County, NJ is $63,959. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Essex County, NJ was Census Tract 162 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 200 and Census Tract 201, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2022, 27.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Essex County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.1%.

Housing

Property

$395,900

Median Property Value 2020

±$4,598

$129,015

Median Property Taxes

±$2,249

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Essex County, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Essex County, NJ compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

44.4%

Homeownership

2020

59.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 44.4% of the housing units in Essex County, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 44%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Essex County, NJ compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 162
Census Tract 200
Census Tract 201

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Essex County, NJ was Census Tract 162 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 200 and Census Tract 201, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

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

Household Income

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

$63,959

Median Household Income

± $1,212

291k

Number of Households

± 4,482

In 2020, the median household income of the 291k households in Essex County, NJ grew to $63,959 from the previous year's value of $61,510.

The following chart displays the households in Essex County, NJ 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Essex County, NJ is from New Jersey.

0.49

2020 Wage GINI in New Jersey

0.493

2019 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2020, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.49 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.5% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New Jersey in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (59.1%)
Public Transit (20.1%)
Worked At Home (7.14%)

In 2020, 59.1% of workers in Essex County, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who used public transit to get to work (20.1%) and those who worked at home (7.14%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

34.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Essex County, NJ have a longer commute time (34.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 6.4% of the workforce in Essex County, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 27.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Essex County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

15.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Essex County, NJ (119k out of 779k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 45 - 54.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 18.4% of the children was living in poverty in Essex County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 6.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 606 in Essex County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 69.3 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

88.7% of the population of Essex County, NJ has health coverage, with 48.2% on employee plans, 21.4% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 8.45% on non-group plans, and 0.421% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in New Jersey was $8,859 in 2014. This is a 4.91% increase from the previous year ($8,444).

Primary care physicians in Essex County, NJ see 1184 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.254% increase from the previous year (1181 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1059 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 414 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.8% were men and 53.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,184 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Essex County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Essex County, NJ see an average of 1,184 patients per year. This represents a 0.254% increase from the previous year (1,181 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.4% under 18 years, 21.1% between 18 and 34 years, 40% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.8% were men and 53.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.3%

Uninsured

48.2%

Employer Coverage

21.4%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

8.45%

Non-Group

0.421%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Essex County, NJ declined by 1.44% from 11.4% to 11.3%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42.8 in Essex County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Essex County, NJ.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 30% in Essex County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Essex County, NJ.

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