Essex County, New Jersey Income Statistics
Essex County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Essex County Below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in New Jersey
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Essex County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,239 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $65,483 | $76,200 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 17.0% | 19.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 18.7% | 21.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Essex County is about 22% lower than in New Jersey. Income has been growing faster in Essex County (5.0%/yr) than in New Jersey (4.4%/yr).
About 17% of adults in Essex County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the New Jersey average of 20%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Essex County, New Jersey grew by 49.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $81,239 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Essex County
| Metric | Essex County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.578 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $73,382 | $87,197 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $64,340 | $70,502 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.3% | 19.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Essex County, it is 0.578, higher than New Jersey's 0.544, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Essex County, New Jersey. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $316,470 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Essex County, New Jersey has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 15% in 2015, and was narrowest at 11% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,584 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Essex County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.7% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.1% | 16.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 26 | 22 |
Approximately 39,494 people are unemployed in Essex County, New Jersey.
The average commute time in Essex County is 30 minutes, longer than the 26 minutes in New Jersey.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Essex County, New Jersey has fallen from 11.3% to 8.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 8.0% in 2020.
Essex County, NJ Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Essex County, NJ is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 861,155 residents against a local median of 578,268. Essex County, NJ's unemployment, at 8.7%, runs 45% above the 6.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $81,239 against a local median of $98,311, 17% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Essex County, NJ reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.4% on unemployment, so Essex County, NJ sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Essex County, NJ has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, NJ | 861,155 | $81,239 #6/6 | 5.0%/yr #2/6 | 8.7% #6/6 | 0.578 #6/6 |
| Union County, NJ | 578,268 | $104,008 | 5.0%/yr | 6.5% | 0.548 |
| Hudson County, NJ | 717,070 | $92,989 | 5.4%/yr | 6.0% | 0.554 |
| Bergen County, NJ | 960,507 | $124,895 | 4.3%/yr | 5.8% | 0.536 |
| Richmond County, NY | 494,794 | $98,311 | 3.6%/yr | 5.6% | 0.571 |
| Passaic County, NJ | 520,457 | $88,196 | 4.5%/yr | 8.0% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Essex County, New Jersey has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than New Jersey, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Essex County, New Jersey.
How Wealthy Is Essex County, New Jersey?
Essex County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $81,239, about 22% lower than the New Jersey average of $103,817.
How fast is household income rising in Essex County, New Jersey?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Essex County, New Jersey rose 49%, from $54,405 to $81,239. Over the same years, income here kept pace with New Jersey as a whole: +49% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Essex County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Essex County, New Jersey was $77,044, up 4% from $73,943 in 2022. The New Jersey median that year was $101,191.
What was the median household income in Essex County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Essex County, New Jersey was $64,693. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $81,239.
Is unemployment high in Essex County, New Jersey?
Unemployment in Essex County, New Jersey is 8.7%, well above the New Jersey rate of 6.3%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Essex County, New Jersey?
The Gini coefficient in Essex County is 0.578. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Essex County, New Jersey?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Essex County, New Jersey has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 15% in 2015, and was narrowest at 11% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,584 since 2009.
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