The Town FilesEssex, Connecticut
Town · population 6,733 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $552,000
- Household income
- $104,395
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 52.4
Essex is a town of 6,733 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $552,000, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Connecticut towns, better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns, better for young professionals than 87% of Connecticut towns.
How Essex ranks
Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Essex is worth $552,000, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $104,395, which is more affordable than 14% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,623 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Essex | Typical Connecticut town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $552,000 | $376,000 |
| Median rent | $1,623 | $1,462 |
| Median household income | $104,395 | $109,167 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 80.3% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Essex
| People | Essex | Typical Connecticut town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 45.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.4% | 20.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.9% | 45.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 19.4% | 16.8% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 27.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 93.8% |
Weather in Essex
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.0 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 31, 2009 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 31, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2012.
Public schools in Essex
1 public school with 299 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Elementary School | PK-6 | 299 | 10.3 |
Towns near Essex
- Essex Village, CT1.1 mi · 2,583 people · home $751,900
- Deep River Center, CT2.4 mi · 2,765 people · home $334,600
- Deep River, CT3.5 mi · 4,415 people · home $362,200
- Old Saybrook, CT4.2 mi · 10,481 people · home $538,200
- Westbrook, CT4.6 mi · 6,769 people · home $434,300
- Chester, CT5.7 mi · 3,749 people · home $442,200
- Old Lyme, CT6.2 mi · 7,628 people · home $484,200
- Clinton, CT7.1 mi · 13,185 people · home $380,000
Essex questions
Is Essex, Connecticut a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Essex scores better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 40%. 26.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Essex?
The median owner-occupied home in Essex is valued at $552,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,395, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,623 a month.
What is the weather like in Essex?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 26.0 inches of snow.
Does Essex get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 31, 2009. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)