Essex County, Virginia Housing Market Prices
Essex County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price About the same as the Virginia median$255,014
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Median rent 38% below the Virginia median$972
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $255,014 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.6% | 3.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $972 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.0% | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Essex County is about the same as in Virginia. Rent is about 38% lower than the Virginia average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Essex County, up about 4.6% and 2.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Essex County rose about 16.6% between 2015 and 2024, from $834 to $972. Over the same span, rent in Virginia rose about 41.5%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.4 yearly household incomes in Essex County.
Buying the median-priced home in Essex County costs roughly 21.9 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Essex County. The price-to-rent ratio in Virginia is about 13.5.
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $255,014 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $57,819 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Essex County rose about 34.2%, while median household income rose about 15.1% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% | 61.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 21.6% | 29.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 23.5% | 8.7% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Essex County has a homeownership rate of 54.9%, lower than the Virginia average of 61.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 23.5%, compared with 8.7% in Virginia.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.36 people | 2.52 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1980 | 1982 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 6.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Essex County was built around 1980. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Essex County, VA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Essex County, VA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, VA | 10,620 | $255,014 #3/3 | $972 #3/3 | 71.7% #3/3 |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 18,825 | $537,500 | $1,018 | 80.1% |
| King George County, VA | 27,895 | $328,342 | $1,428 | 76.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Essex County, Virginia.
What is the median home price in Essex County, Virginia?
The median home price in Essex County, Virginia is $255,014, about the same as the Virginia average.
What is the average home price in Essex County, Virginia?
The typical home price in Essex County, Virginia, reported as the median sale price, is $255,014. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Essex County, Virginia?
The median gross rent in Essex County, Virginia is $972 per month, lower than the Virginia average of $1,579.
What was the median gross rent in Essex County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Essex County, Virginia was $886 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Essex County, Virginia?
The price-to-rent ratio in Essex County, Virginia is about 21.9, meaning it would take roughly 21.9 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Essex County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Essex County, Virginia?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Essex County, up about 4.6% and 2.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Essex County, Virginia?
54.9% of households in Essex County, Virginia own their home, lower than the Virginia average of 61.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Essex County, Virginia?
The housing vacancy rate in Essex County, Virginia is 23.5%, higher than the Virginia average of 8.7%.
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