County profile · Massachusetts
Essex County, MA market data
How Essex County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 826,653
- +2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 313,147
- Median household income
- $101,883
- +28.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $619,100
- Jobs located here
- 329,644
- Highest market score
- 79
- Optometrists and eye care, #66 of 1,302 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Essex County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Essex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Essex County has an estimated 826,653 people and 313,147 households. Population estimates show Essex County grew 2.3% from 2020 to 2025, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Essex County is $101,883, 26% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 28.5%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Essex County runs highest on child care and other personal services (an index of 133, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on gasoline and other fuels (75).
Of the business types scored in Essex County, optometrists and eye clinics (79), home inspectors (75) and roofing and gutter companies (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For optometrists and eye clinics, that ranks #66 of 1,302 scored counties.
Essex County is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (88% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for oil change and quick-lube shops (43% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Essex County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Essex County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optometrists and eye care | 79 | #66 of 1,302 | 94 | 3.0 | $4.6M | 146 | 33 |
| Home inspectors | 75 | #30 of 415 | 20 | 0.6 | Index only | 121 | 12 |
| Roofing and gutters | 74 | #102 of 1,177 | 98 | 3.1 | $11.6M | 137 | 57 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 73 | #31 of 325 | 14 | 0.4 | $30.6M | 125 | 9 |
| Pest control | 73 | #67 of 699 | 35 | 1.1 | $13.2M | 129 | 24 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 73 | #267 of 2,222 | 246 | 7.9 | $5.9M | 193 | 630 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 72 | #215 of 1,656 | 158 | 5.0 | $2.7M | 152 | 291 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #299 of 1,530 | 74 | 2.4 | $3.7M | 148 | 33 |
| Funeral homes | 68 | #280 of 1,472 | 60 | 1.9 | $813K | 120 | 43 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 65 | #340 of 1,707 | 206 | 6.6 | $5.5M | 116 | 331 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 64 | #117 of 479 | 13 | 0.4 | $21.1M | 154 | 18 |
| Gas stations | 64 | #592 of 2,358 | 209 | 6.7 | $2.9M | 122 | 199 |
| Convenience stores | 64 | #614 of 2,261 | 232 | 7.4 | $9.9M | 126 | 211 |
| Veterinarians | 63 | #425 of 1,485 | 85 | 2.7 | $2.8M | 104 | 67 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 63 | #653 of 2,402 | 578 | 18.5 | $4M | 117 | 389 |
| Property management | 62 | #254 of 910 | 87 | 2.8 | Index only | 131 | 175 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #494 of 2,057 | 406 | 13.0 | $2.8M | 115 | 681 |
| Grocery stores | 62 | #618 of 2,070 | 218 | 7.0 | $10.5M | 113 | 178 |
| Chiropractors | 61 | #441 of 1,490 | 161 | 5.1 | $2.7M | 111 | 97 |
| Physical therapy | 60 | #456 of 1,422 | 183 | 5.8 | $2.3M | 97 | 98 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 60 | #573 of 2,176 | 878 | 28.0 | Index only | 132 | 206 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 59 | #792 of 2,405 | 3,177 | 101.5 | $456K | 123 | 1,596 |
| Child care and preschools | 58 | #606 of 1,611 | 242 | 7.7 | $1M | 100 | 250 |
| Electricians | 57 | #424 of 1,160 | 102 | 3.3 | $11.1M | 93 | 293 |
| Gyms | 57 | #650 of 1,792 | 293 | 9.4 | $1.3M | 100 | 132 |
| Pizza | 57 | #757 of 2,090 | 340 | 10.9 | $4.3M | 84 | 630 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 57 | #790 of 2,087 | 557 | 17.8 | $1.5M | 117 | 256 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 57 | #863 of 2,405 | 1,820 | 58.1 | $795K | 120 | 696 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 55 | #518 of 1,334 | 188 | 6.0 | $2M | 100 | 132 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 54 | #851 of 2,063 | 345 | 11.0 | $4.2M | 113 | 268 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 54 | #1,014 of 2,394 | 2,102 | 67.1 | $204K | 134 | 908 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 53 | #389 of 887 | 156 | 5.0 | Index only | 104 | 71 |
| Car washes and detailing | 53 | #646 of 1,451 | 101 | 3.2 | $2.7M | 108 | 55 |
| Laundromats | 52 | #356 of 785 | 68 | 2.2 | $12.1M | 97 | 40 |
| Real estate | 52 | #999 of 2,229 | 1,141 | 36.4 | Index only | 128 | 520 |
| Pet stores | 51 | #455 of 974 | 50 | 1.6 | $4.8M | 106 | 30 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 51 | #1,107 of 2,210 | 842 | 26.9 | $981K | 111 | 354 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 49 | #1,111 of 2,088 | 622 | 19.9 | $612K | 92 | 264 |
| Barbershops | 48 | #754 of 1,356 | 219 | 7.0 | $1.6M | 87 | 29 |
| Insurance agencies | 48 | #1,180 of 2,272 | 321 | 10.3 | $1.5M | 117 | 233 |
| Auto repair and car care | 48 | #1,294 of 2,401 | 968 | 30.9 | $284K | 106 | 483 |
| Pet businesses | 46 | #1,268 of 2,200 | 323 | 10.3 | $742K | 84 | 198 |
| Nail salons | 43 | #891 of 1,328 | 238 | 7.6 | $1.5M | 91 | 147 |
| Spas and skin care | 43 | #1,151 of 1,769 | 464 | 14.8 | $777K | 89 | 97 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 43 | #1,192 of 1,889 | 396 | 12.6 | $3.7M | 88 | 313 |
| Hair salons | 43 | #1,519 of 2,339 | 914 | 29.2 | $394K | 92 | 335 |
| Dry cleaners | 42 | #337 of 507 | 64 | 2.0 | $12.9M | 82 | 58 |
| Auto repair shops | 41 | #1,590 of 2,378 | 647 | 20.7 | $425K | 95 | 366 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 40 | #559 of 777 | 141 | 4.5 | $2.7M | 66 | 132 |
| House cleaning | 38 | #638 of 847 | 101 | 3.2 | $4.6M | 71 | 234 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 38 | #1,824 of 2,385 | 1,863 | 59.5 | $193K | 91 | 616 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 37 | #1,420 of 1,886 | 469 | 15.0 | $914K | 93 | 380 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 36 | #1,128 of 1,493 | 265 | 8.5 | $1.7M | 59 | 611 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 35 | #1,432 of 1,771 | 401 | 12.8 | $1.1M | 68 | 869 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 32 | #1,140 of 1,461 | 148 | 4.7 | $1.6M | 64 | 101 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 25 | #1,184 of 1,327 | 140 | 4.5 | $2M | 64 | 136 |
Household spending in Essex County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $274.7M | $877 | 92 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $608.9M | $1,944 | 75 |
| Food away from home | $1.4B | $4,622 | 114 |
| Groceries | $2.3B | $7,328 | 116 |
| Personal care products and services | $360.4M | $1,151 | 115 |
| Child care and other personal services | $242.3M | $774 | 133 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $380.7M | $1,216 | 124 |
| Medical and dental services | $428.6M | $1,369 | 106 |
| Pets | $239.6M | $765 | 84 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $825.8M | $2,637 | 128 |
| Vehicle insurance | $473.5M | $1,512 | 77 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $1.1B | $3,630 | 120 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $460.8M | $1,472 | 104 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $6.3B | $20,216 | 121 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Essex County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 826,653+2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 313,147
- Median age
- 42.2
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 64%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 493 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 1,651
- Median household income
- $101,883+28.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $140,108
- Median home value
- $619,100
- Jobs located here
- 329,644
- Daytime population
- 736,954Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Essex County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Essex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Massachusetts 8
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- Suffolk County, MA785,121 people
- Norfolk County, MA730,082 people
- Plymouth County, MA535,075 people
- Worcester County, MA867,788 people
- Bristol County, MA582,270 people
- Barnstable County, MA231,668 people
- Franklin County, MA70,944 people
Questions
How fast is Essex County, MA growing?
Population estimates put Essex County at 826,653 people in 2025, up 2.3% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 313,147 households. Median household income rose 28.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Essex County, MA spend?
Households in Essex County spend about $6.3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $2.3B on groceries and $1.4B on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Essex County spend the most on child care and other personal services (an index of 133, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on gasoline and other fuels (75).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Essex County, MA?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Essex County are for optometrists and eye clinics (79), home inspectors (75) and roofing and gutter companies (74). Essex County ranks #66 of 1,302 scored counties for optometrists and eye clinics.
How does Essex County, MA compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Essex County is $101,883 a year, 26% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $619,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Essex County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (88% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for oil change and quick-lube shops (43% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Essex County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Essex County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Massachusetts · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Essex County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Essex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.