Essex County, Virginia 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.
-
C
Essex County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,819 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,506 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.0% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.1% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Essex County is about 38% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Essex County (2.8%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Essex County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Virginia average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Essex County, Virginia grew by 24.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $57,819 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Essex County
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.544 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,097 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,526 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.8% | 20.3% | 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 0.544, about the same as Virginia's 0.544, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 31% more than women's income in Essex County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 31% wage gap accumulates to roughly $509,985 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, Virginia has narrowed from about 28% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2022, and was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,332 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Essex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.6% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 172 people are unemployed in Essex County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Essex County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Essex County, Virginia has fallen from 6.4% to 3.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.8% in 2022.
Essex County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Essex County, VA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,620 residents against a local median of 18,593. Essex County, VA's income growth, at 2.8%/yr, runs 25% below the 3.8%/yr 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: $57,819 against a local median of $69,824, 17% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Essex County, VA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.3%/yr on income growth, so Essex County, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Essex County, VA has the 5th highest income growth 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, VA | 10,620 | $57,819 #6/6 | 2.8%/yr #5/6 | 3.9% #4/6 | 0.544 #6/6 |
| Richmond County, VA | 9,095 | $69,824 | 5.8%/yr | 2.5% | 0.537 |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 18,825 | $64,504 | 2.5%/yr | 7.2% | 0.538 |
| King and Queen County, VA | 6,696 | $67,967 | 4.4%/yr | 5.2% | 0.503 |
| King William County, VA | 18,593 | $87,281 | 3.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.489 |
| King George County, VA | 27,895 | $115,859 | 3.8%/yr | 3.6% | 0.539 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Essex County, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Essex County, Virginia.
How Wealthy Is Essex County, Virginia?
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 $57,819, about 38% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How has median household income changed in Essex County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Essex County, Virginia rose 24%, from $46,466 to $57,819. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Virginia as a whole: +24% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Essex County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Essex County, Virginia was $56,881, up 8% from $52,530 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Essex County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Essex County, Virginia was $50,688. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $57,819.
What is the Gini coefficient in Essex County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Essex County is 0.544. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Essex County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Essex County, Virginia has narrowed from about 28% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2022, and was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,332 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →