The Town FilesEssex, Massachusetts
Town in Essex County · population 3,675 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $897,400
- Household income
- $157,147
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.0
Essex is a town of 3,675 people in Essex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $897,400, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Massachusetts towns, more seaside character than 93% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 86% of Massachusetts towns.
How Essex ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Essex is worth $897,400, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $157,147, which is more affordable than 24% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,964 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Essex | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $897,400 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,964 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $157,147 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.3% | — |
Who lives in Essex
| People | Essex | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 23.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Essex
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 10, 1965 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 10, 1965.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on August 28, 1965.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 323,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,548 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Essex itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Essex
1 public school with 229 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Elementary | K-5 | 229 | 10.4 |
Towns near Essex
- Ipswich, MA3.6 mi · 4,370 people · home $598,400
- Gloucester, MA4.4 mi · 29,729 people · home $600,600
- Hamilton, MA4.5 mi · 7,561 people · home $720,000
- Ipswich, MA5.0 mi · 13,785 people · home $745,400
- Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA5.4 mi · 5,395 people · home $942,000
- Wenham, MA6.3 mi · 4,979 people · home $885,400
- Beverly, MA6.9 mi · 42,670 people · home $650,300
- Rockport, MA7.7 mi · 5,010 people · home $748,200
Essex questions
Is Essex, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Essex scores better for retirees than 69% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 66%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Essex?
The median owner-occupied home in Essex is valued at $897,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $157,147, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $1,964 a month.
What is the weather like in Essex?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 51.4 inches of snow.
Does Essex get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 10, 1965. The typical Massachusetts 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)