Essex County, New Jersey Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 3rd-largest in New Jersey

The population of Essex County, New Jersey is 854,130 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 3rd-largest county in New Jersey. The median household income is $76,712, the median home value is $494,400, and the median age is 37.7.

The population of Essex County has grown 12.4% since 2010 (784,017 → 881,527), a +0.84% annualized rate.

Essex County within New Jersey · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

854,130

Population

+0.84%

Annual growth

6774

People / sq mi

$76,712

Median Income

$494,400

Median Home Value

Essex County covers 126 sq mi of land at 6774.3 people per square mile.

About Essex County, NJ

Essex County is a county in New Jersey with a population of 854,130. It ranks #3 among counties in New Jersey by population. The median age is 37.7, younger than the national median. The population is 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

The median household income in Essex County is $76,712, near the US median of $74,580. 11.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $494,400, with monthly rent averaging $1,459. The homeownership rate of 44.5% is lower than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Essex County reflects 37.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 14.2% of workers primarily work from home, similar to the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 34.0 minutes each way.

Essex County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Essex County had a population of 784,017 in 2010 and 881,527 in 2024, a 12.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 881,527 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.86%.

881,527

Population (2024)

784,017

Population (2010)

881,527

Peak (2024)

0.86%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	784,017	-	-	estimate
2011	785,576	+1,559	+0.20%	estimate
2012	785,092	-484	-0.06%	estimate
2013	786,685	+1,593	+0.20%	estimate
2014	788,796	+2,111	+0.27%	estimate
2015	790,546	+1,750	+0.22%	estimate
2016	793,073	+2,527	+0.32%	estimate
2017	797,222	+4,149	+0.52%	estimate
2018	800,530	+3,308	+0.41%	estimate
2019	802,162	+1,632	+0.20%	estimate
2020	860,020	+57,858	+7.21%	estimate
2021	854,416	-5,604	-0.65%	estimate
2022	854,738	+322	+0.04%	estimate
2023	864,310	+9,572	+1.12%	estimate
2024	881,527	+17,217	+1.99%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	33.2%
Black or African American	36.9%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.1%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

37.7

Median Age

51.4%

Female

48.6%

Male

14.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.3%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

7.0%

15–19

6.5%

20–24

6.3%

25–34

13.5%

35–44

14.1%

45–54

13.6%

55–59

6.4%

60–64

5.9%

65–74

8.2%

75–84

4.0%

85+

1.8%

Children (under 15): 19.7% · Seniors (65+): 14.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$76,712$-24,338 vs state
Mean household income	$127,323
Per-capita income	$48,021
Poverty rate	11.7%+4.7% vs state
Unemployment rate	5.5%
Employment-to-population	60.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

24.6%

Finance & real estate

14.4%

Retail trade

8.6%

Information

7.9%

Construction

7.1%

Manufacturing

6.7%

Education & health care

6.6%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.8%

The largest employment sector in Essex County is professional & business services, accounting for 24.6% of workers.

How residents commute

16.2%

Drive alone

3.1%

Carpool

53.9%

Public transit

14.2%

Work from home

34.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$494,400+$66,800 vs state

Median home value

$1,459

Median rent

44.5%

Homeownership rate

335,550

Total housing units

94.6%

Occupied

5.4%

Vacant

55.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

88.4%

With health insurance

93.9%

With broadband internet

20.1%

Foreign-born

2.7%

Veterans (18+)

12.2%

With a disability

62.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

86.8%

High School+

37.9%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in New Jersey

Newark (307,188)Jersey City (289,691)Paterson (157,660)Elizabeth (135,887)Toms River (93,915)Trenton (89,966)Clifton (89,247)Camden (71,471)Bayonne (70,468)Lakewood (69,884)All New Jersey cities →

Other counties in New Jersey

Bergen County (954,717)Middlesex County (861,535)Hudson County (710,478)Ocean County (646,434)Monmouth County (643,615)Union County (572,549)Camden County (524,042)Passaic County (518,289)Morris County (510,375)Burlington County (464,226)All New Jersey counties →

Part of New Jersey

New Jersey demographic profile All New Jersey data →

Metro areas in New Jersey

New York (19,756,722)Philadelphia (6,241,882)Allentown (866,764)Trenton (383,286)Atlantic City (369,940)Vineland (152,915)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Common questions about Essex County, NJ

What is the population of Essex County, NJ?What is the median household income in Essex County, NJ?What is the median home value in Essex County, NJ?What are the demographics of Essex County, NJ?What is the cost of living in Essex County, NJ?Is Essex County, NJ growing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Essex County, New Jersey has a population of 854,130 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 3rd-largest county in New Jersey. Population density is 6774 people per square mile.

The population of Essex County has grown 12.4% since 2010 (784,017 → 881,527), a +0.84% annualized rate.

The median household income in Essex County, New Jersey is $76,712, with mean (average) household income of $127,323 and per-capita income of $48,021. 11.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Essex County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are Black or African American (36.9%), White (33.2%), Hispanic or Latino (1.1%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Essex County, New Jersey is 37.7 years. Residents are 51.4% female and 48.6% male.

The median home value in Essex County is $494,400 and median monthly rent is $1,459. 44.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 335,550 total housing units, 5.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Essex County, New Jersey is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 24.6% of workers. The unemployment rate is 5.5%.

Newark is among the largest cities associated with Essex County, New Jersey, with a population of 307,188.