Essex County is home to over 823,900 residents, with small but fast-growing minority groups, a high proportion of foreign-born residents in some local areas, and an overall aging population. Demographic trends are important to understand because they impact the economy, health care needs and outcomes, what services government and nonprofits provide, and many other local and national concerns. 

Essex County is composed of 34 cities and towns, including the cities of Lynn, Lawrence, Amesbury, Beverly, Gloucester, Haverhill, Methuen, Newburyport, Peabody and Salem. Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Peabody and Salem are considered Gateway Cities. Gateway Cities are targeted for increased state investment and have below average incomes and adult education levels and populations between 35,000 and 250,000. Though Lynn, with 103,500 people, and Lawrence, with 89,300, are the largest localities in Essex County, and the fastest growing.

Lynn and Lawrence are two centers of diversity, with foreign-born residents making up 37% of Lynn’s population and 45% of Lawrence’s. Lawrence is home to approximately 38% of the county’s 195,600 Hispanic residents, and 78% of Lawrence residents  speak a language other than English at home. 

The county’s population overall has grown 11% since 2010, slightly higher than the state increase of 9% and the nation’s increase of 10%. Growth was fastest among Hispanic residents (47%), Asians (15%), and African Americans (14%), though the county as a whole remained majority White (67%).

Overall, 19% of the county’s population was foreign-born and 29% spoke a foreign language other than English at home – comparable with state and national rates and a bit below rates in some otherwise similar counties.

The age distribution of a population has major implications for what types of services are needed (schools, health care, etc.), and how they are delivered and paid for. In Essex County, there was more growth in the 60-84 age bracket among both males (39%) and females (31%) than any other age group over the last decade in line with America’s overall “graying” trend”. The age group with the second largest increase for both males and females was 20 to 39 (14% and 10% respectively).

Additionally, about 38% of people 65 or older in the county live alone, which can make it difficult to access services or care. In addition, 12% of Essex County’s population has some type of disability (both rates are similar to state and national rates). 

Most households in Essex County are made up of singles living alone (27%) or married couples without children (28%), followed by married couples with children (20%), similar to state and national proportions. Although singles living with children made up just 10% of all households in Essex County, they accounted for 34% of all families with children under 18. Of these families, 26% were headed by a female. Rates were especially high among some groups (Hispanics – 63%, African Americans – 56%, Whites – 32%, Asians – 28%).