RANK #755 / 1001 NAT · #15 / 21 NJ · POP 863,002
1YR FORECAST: +1.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +24%
Branch Brook Park in Newark, home to the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the United States, offers a distinctive landmark within Essex County. Located in northeastern New Jersey, the county is part of the New York metropolitan area. Many towns, such as Montclair, Maplewood, and South Orange, offer direct train service to Manhattan, with commutes ranging from 30 to 45 minutes. The county features a mix of urban centers and affluent suburbs, with diverse communities and a significant park system, including the South Mountain Reservation.
Life in Essex County offers varied experiences, from the urban energy of Newark to the suburban comfort of towns like Bloomfield and West Orange. The county's public schools are generally above average, with 90% of K-12 students attending them. The economy is diverse, with growth in sectors like financial activities, healthcare, and professional and business services. Major employers include institutions in financial services, logistics, and technology.
Essex County is one of 110 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +3.8% runs above the profile's typical +2.4%.
See all 110 Educated Suburban Growth counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 14.1x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2022). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Newark Energy Center
Brookfield Asset Management (operated by Hartree Partners LP)
|
$700M | Operating |
|
NJ Hospital Site Redevelopment
Unknown
|
$350M | Under Construction |
|
Lionsgate Newark Studio
Lionsgate/Great Point Studios
|
$125M | Under Construction |
|
Essex County Solar Portfolio (multiple projects)
Various (e.g., Dimension Energy LLC)
|
$50M | Operating/Under Construction |
|
DataBank - Downtown Newark
DataBank
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 24/100, Essex County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $80,789 combined with job growth of +1.1% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Essex County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $524,100 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.15 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,531/month on average.
Essex County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.0% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.1% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +3.8% over the past 12 months.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.47% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Essex County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.