The Town FilesEssex, New York
Town in Essex County · population 621 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $277,800
- Household income
- $77,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 71 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 53.5
Essex is a town of 621 people in Essex County, New York. The median home is worth $277,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 97% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of New York towns, better for cycling than 91% of New York towns.
How Essex ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Essex is worth $277,800, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $77,188, which is more affordable than 32% of New York towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 81.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Essex | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $277,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $775 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $77,188 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 30.1% | — |
Who lives in Essex
| People | Essex | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Essex
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.0 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Essex since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 17, 2025.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 14,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,601 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Essex itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Essex
- Willsboro, NY4.8 mi · 689 people · home $124,500
- Willsboro, NY6.3 mi · 1,905 people · home $237,900
- Charlotte, VT7.9 mi · 3,912 people · home $695,300
- Westport, NY8.0 mi · 1,320 people · home $237,100
- Ferrisburgh, VT8.5 mi · 2,646 people · home $422,700
- Lewis, NY9.3 mi · 1,293 people · home $181,000
- Shelburne, VT10.0 mi · 7,717 people · home $588,100
- Elizabethtown, NY10.7 mi · 746 people · home $188,100
Essex questions
Is Essex, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Essex scores better for retirees than 90% of New York towns and quieter than 97%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.5).
How much does a house cost in Essex?
The median owner-occupied home in Essex is valued at $277,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,188, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Essex?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 71.0 inches of snow.
Does Essex get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Essex in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)