Demographics
Change in Total Population


Change in Total Population

What does this measure?

The percent change in number of residents of a geographic area since 2000.

Why is this important?

Population measures provide insight on the changing size and face of communities. Changes in total population are a measure of the overall health of a community and its ability to attract and retain residents.

How is our county doing?

Since 2000, the overall population in Essex County has grown approximately 12%, slightly higher than the state increase of 10% but much lower than the nation's increase of 18%. From 2000 to 2010, the county's population increased from about 723,000 to 743,100, and since 2010, growth has picked up, with the total population increasing to 807,100 in 2021.

The largest localities in Essex County are the cities of Lynn and Lawrence, with 100,900 and 88,500 residents in 2021, respectively. Other population centers are Haverhill (67,400), Peabody (54,100) and Methuen (52,800). The fastest growing places since 2000 were Middleton (which grew 26%), Lawrence (23%) and Methuen (21%). The population fell in three places: Rockport (-10%), and Hamilton and Nahant (both at -9%).

How do we compare to similar counties?

Essex County's rate of growth since 2000 was slightly higher than Middlesex, MA and Lake County, IL, both at 10%. Westchester County had the lowest rate at 8%. Lake's total population was lower than Essex County's at 711,200, while Westchester and Middlesex are larger at 997,900 and 1.6 million, respectively.

Notes about the data

Rate is percentage change from 2000. Data for this indicator are released annually in July.

Change in Total Population
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MAN/A0.9%1.2%1.1%0.9%0.7%0.8%1.0%1.5%2.2%2.7%3.9%4.7%5.7%6.7%7.4%7.8%8.4%8.9%9.1%11.9%11.6%
AmesburyN/A0.5%0.4%-0.1%-0.7%-1.2%-1.5%-1.7%-1.6%-1.3%-1.1%-0.2%0.5%1.7%4.6%5.0%5.3%6.1%6.4%6.5%5.5%4.9%
BeverlyN/A0.4%0.4%-0.1%-0.6%-1.1%-1.3%-1.5%-1.3%-1.0%-0.7%0.8%1.5%2.7%3.6%4.3%4.6%5.4%6.1%6.0%7.4%6.7%
GloucesterN/A-0.0%-0.5%-1.4%-2.4%-3.2%-3.9%-4.5%-4.8%-4.9%-4.9%-4.0%-3.3%-2.5%-1.8%-1.3%-1.0%-0.4%0.1%0.5%-1.8%-1.1%
HaverhillN/A1.0%1.3%1.3%1.1%1.0%1.1%1.4%1.9%2.6%3.2%4.3%4.9%5.6%6.1%6.6%7.2%7.9%8.4%8.5%14.9%14.2%
LawrenceN/A1.4%2.0%2.2%2.3%2.5%2.9%3.3%4.2%5.2%6.0%7.2%8.1%8.8%9.9%10.6%10.8%11.0%11.2%11.1%23.7%22.9%
LynnN/A0.8%0.9%0.7%0.3%0.1%0.0%0.1%0.5%1.0%1.5%1.9%2.7%3.4%4.0%4.5%4.7%5.5%6.0%5.9%13.7%13.3%
MethuenN/A1.6%2.4%2.8%3.1%3.4%4.0%4.7%5.7%6.9%8.1%9.1%9.9%11.2%12.7%13.7%14.0%14.9%15.4%15.8%21.1%20.5%
NewburyportN/A0.7%0.9%0.6%0.2%-0.1%-0.1%-0.1%0.2%0.7%1.1%1.8%2.1%2.9%3.7%3.8%4.2%4.9%5.7%6.2%6.3%6.3%
PeabodyN/A1.4%2.0%2.2%2.3%2.5%2.9%3.4%4.2%5.2%6.1%6.9%7.4%8.1%8.6%8.9%9.2%9.6%9.9%9.8%12.8%12.0%
SalemN/A0.9%1.1%0.9%0.7%0.5%0.5%0.7%1.1%1.8%2.2%3.9%4.7%5.5%6.3%6.9%6.9%7.1%7.0%6.9%10.1%10.9%
AndoverN/A1.3%1.9%2.1%2.1%2.3%2.6%3.1%3.9%4.9%5.2%7.4%8.4%10.3%11.4%12.3%12.8%13.8%15.5%15.7%16.4%16.2%
BoxfordN/A0.7%0.8%0.5%0.1%-0.2%-0.3%-0.4%-0.1%0.4%0.7%1.6%2.2%3.0%3.6%4.1%4.3%5.0%5.5%5.5%3.8%3.1%
DanversN/A1.2%1.8%1.9%2.0%2.1%2.4%2.8%3.6%4.5%5.3%7.0%7.9%8.4%10.3%10.6%9.3%9.4%9.5%9.5%11.6%10.9%
EssexN/A1.5%2.3%2.6%2.7%3.0%3.5%4.1%5.1%6.1%7.1%8.9%9.7%10.6%11.5%12.3%13.5%14.4%15.4%16.1%12.3%12.1%
GeorgetownN/A2.0%3.1%3.7%4.3%4.9%5.8%6.7%8.0%9.5%11.0%12.6%13.7%14.9%15.5%16.4%17.0%17.8%18.5%18.6%14.6%13.9%
GrovelandN/A1.5%2.2%2.6%2.7%3.0%3.5%4.1%5.0%6.1%6.9%7.9%8.7%9.5%10.2%11.0%11.5%12.3%13.1%13.5%11.8%11.7%
HamiltonN/A-0.3%-1.0%-2.0%-3.1%-4.1%-4.9%-5.7%-6.1%-6.4%-6.6%-5.7%-5.3%-4.5%-4.1%-3.8%-3.5%-3.2%-3.0%-3.1%-9.0%-9.3%
IpswichN/A0.8%0.9%0.7%0.3%0.1%0.1%0.1%0.5%1.0%1.5%3.6%4.4%5.1%5.6%6.4%6.8%7.7%8.2%8.4%6.1%5.6%
LynnfieldN/A0.9%1.1%0.9%0.6%0.4%0.4%0.4%0.9%1.5%2.0%3.1%4.0%9.1%11.4%12.2%12.9%13.8%14.3%14.3%14.2%13.9%
ManchesterN/A0.4%0.3%-0.2%-0.9%-1.5%-1.8%-2.1%-2.0%-1.8%-1.6%-0.4%0.2%1.1%1.8%2.2%2.6%3.3%3.7%4.1%3.4%2.8%
MarbleheadN/A0.3%0.0%-0.6%-1.4%-2.1%-2.5%-2.9%-3.0%-2.9%-2.7%-1.9%-1.2%-0.5%-0.0%0.3%0.5%0.9%1.0%0.9%0.3%-0.3%
MerrimacN/A1.1%1.4%1.4%1.2%1.2%1.3%1.6%2.2%2.9%3.5%4.9%5.9%7.6%9.2%10.5%11.7%13.0%13.7%13.7%9.8%9.5%
MiddletonN/A2.3%3.9%5.2%6.5%7.6%9.1%10.7%12.5%14.6%16.1%17.8%19.6%21.9%24.4%23.9%25.8%27.2%29.9%30.6%26.5%26.1%
NahantN/A-0.2%-0.8%-1.7%-2.9%-3.9%-4.7%-5.4%-5.7%-6.0%-6.1%-5.5%-5.1%-4.4%-4.1%-3.8%-3.9%-3.5%-3.2%-3.3%-8.1%-8.7%
NewburyN/A0.6%0.5%0.1%-0.5%-0.9%-1.1%-1.3%-1.1%-0.8%-0.4%0.7%1.3%2.4%3.4%4.1%4.8%5.7%6.4%6.7%0.3%0.0%
North AndoverN/A1.1%1.6%1.7%1.8%1.9%2.2%2.5%3.3%4.2%4.9%6.5%7.5%8.4%9.8%11.0%14.0%14.7%15.4%15.4%14.4%13.6%
RockportN/A-0.7%-1.8%-3.2%-4.7%-6.1%-7.3%-8.5%-9.3%-10.0%-10.5%-9.7%-9.1%-8.5%-8.0%-7.7%-7.2%-6.8%-6.5%-6.2%-9.9%-10.4%
RowleyN/A1.4%2.1%2.3%2.4%2.7%3.1%3.6%4.5%5.5%6.3%7.4%8.4%9.6%12.6%14.3%14.4%15.5%16.8%17.6%11.9%11.4%
SalisburyN/A1.3%1.9%2.1%2.2%2.3%2.7%3.2%4.0%4.9%5.8%7.1%8.0%9.1%10.6%17.5%18.4%19.9%20.9%21.7%17.8%17.6%
SaugusN/A0.9%1.1%0.9%0.5%0.3%0.3%0.4%0.8%1.4%1.9%3.5%4.8%6.5%7.1%7.5%7.6%8.0%8.1%8.6%9.5%9.8%
SwampscottN/A0.1%-0.4%-1.1%-2.1%-2.9%-3.5%-4.0%-4.2%-4.3%-4.2%-3.6%-3.1%-2.5%-2.1%1.2%3.5%4.0%5.6%6.2%4.9%5.3%
TopsfieldN/A0.5%0.4%-0.1%-0.7%-1.1%-1.4%-1.6%-1.5%-1.2%-0.9%0.7%2.4%4.1%5.9%6.3%6.4%6.9%7.5%8.1%6.9%6.7%
WenhamN/A1.0%1.5%1.8%2.4%2.5%3.0%3.8%4.6%5.9%6.4%8.5%10.0%12.2%12.4%13.0%13.5%14.5%15.0%15.2%9.1%8.8%
West NewburyN/A0.9%1.2%1.0%0.7%0.6%0.7%0.8%1.3%1.8%2.4%4.1%5.6%7.2%8.6%9.7%11.3%12.1%13.1%14.0%8.7%9.9%
Middlesex County, MAN/A0.5%0.2%-0.1%-0.4%-0.7%-0.6%-0.1%0.8%2.0%2.6%4.1%5.3%6.5%7.5%8.2%8.8%9.5%9.8%10.0%11.4%10.2%
Lake County, ILN/A2.2%3.6%3.7%5.1%6.2%7.0%7.5%8.2%8.7%9.1%8.8%8.9%9.2%9.2%9.3%9.2%9.0%8.5%8.0%10.8%10.3%
Westchester County, NYN/A0.9%1.3%1.3%1.3%1.1%0.8%1.1%1.5%2.2%2.8%3.5%3.9%4.4%4.7%4.9%5.1%5.0%4.8%4.8%8.8%8.0%
MassachusettsN/A0.8%1.1%1.2%1.0%0.8%1.0%1.3%1.9%2.6%3.1%4.2%4.9%5.7%6.5%7.0%7.5%8.0%8.4%8.6%10.7%10.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Rate is percentage change since 2000.




Total Population
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MA723,496730,206732,232731,544729,783728,877729,455730,664734,361739,086743,082751,507757,338764,563771,653776,865779,847784,453788,183789,034809,829807,074
Amesbury16,45916,53416,51716,44016,33816,25716,20816,17416,19516,23816,28616,42916,53516,73817,22417,28717,32717,45917,51017,53217,36717,269
Beverly39,78739,96239,93139,75639,55039,36239,26439,21039,27139,40739,50440,09140,39040,84641,22041,50641,62541,93642,19542,17442,71442,446
Gloucester30,28230,27830,13029,87229,56429,30129,09728,91828,83928,79728,78929,05629,27329,52129,73429,89729,98230,16230,32730,43029,72629,952
Haverhill58,97959,56359,75959,73259,61759,57359,64959,77760,10860,52360,87861,50561,86062,27262,60562,86163,20063,66463,92664,01467,76467,361
Lawrence72,04573,02473,46773,63473,67973,82374,11174,45875,06975,77576,34377,26077,91078,38279,18279,69979,81880,00380,11280,02889,15288,508
Lynn89,02989,72989,86989,67489,33089,11389,07189,10089,44589,89990,32490,70991,43792,02592,56593,05793,18593,91594,33694,299101,238100,843
Methuen43,80144,50144,85445,03745,14245,31045,56545,85646,31046,82347,32847,79848,12948,70649,38449,79749,95350,30850,56550,70653,02652,798
Newburyport17,21417,34117,36217,31917,25117,20417,19117,19417,25517,34017,41017,52017,57717,71417,84717,87317,92918,06518,19318,28918,29018,295
Peabody48,31948,97849,27849,39449,42749,52549,72149,95650,36950,84451,26651,63251,90452,22452,46352,62952,75952,94853,09253,07054,48654,119
Salem40,43140,77740,86940,81040,70040,63040,64540,70040,88641,13941,31241,99542,31642,66842,98843,23943,23343,29943,27243,22644,50144,819
Andover31,42931,83932,01832,07632,09132,14032,25632,40232,65432,96033,07133,75134,07234,66035,01435,29235,45135,77536,28536,35636,58436,517
Boxford7,9007,9587,9667,9437,9067,8827,8737,8707,8957,9307,9598,0288,0748,1348,1828,2208,2378,2948,3368,3328,2008,141
Danvers25,16125,46925,60425,64425,65425,68425,76925,87826,07126,30526,50026,92927,15427,27827,75427,81827,49327,51727,54527,54928,08127,898
Essex3,2723,3223,3463,3573,3613,3713,3883,4073,4383,4733,5043,5643,5913,6193,6473,6743,7143,7443,7763,7993,6753,668
Georgetown7,3927,5377,6187,6697,7077,7557,8197,8887,9858,0938,2038,3238,4058,4938,5418,6018,6468,7058,7598,7688,4718,416
Groveland6,0346,1256,1696,1896,1976,2166,2466,2806,3386,4036,4506,5096,5586,6056,6476,6966,7256,7776,8276,8496,7496,737
Hamilton8,3098,2828,2278,1448,0547,9687,9007,8387,8037,7777,7647,8377,8727,9357,9727,9948,0168,0418,0618,0517,5647,539
Ipswich12,98413,08613,10613,07813,02912,99712,99112,99613,04613,11313,17613,45413,54913,64213,71013,80913,86113,99014,05214,07413,77913,716
Lynnfield11,37011,47011,49411,47411,43511,41211,41311,42111,47211,53511,59311,72611,82012,40612,66712,76112,83212,93413,00112,99912,98912,955
Manchester5,2185,2415,2335,2065,1695,1415,1225,1085,1135,1235,1365,1965,2305,2735,3115,3355,3545,3915,4125,4345,3935,363
Marblehead20,36320,41920,36620,23620,07119,93919,84519,76719,76019,77619,80819,98020,11720,25320,35820,42220,45520,54220,57320,55520,43020,296
Merrimac6,1216,1866,2096,2086,1966,1946,2036,2176,2546,2986,3386,4186,4806,5896,6866,7666,8376,9156,9606,9606,7216,705
Middleton7,7437,9228,0448,1428,2458,3338,4458,5698,7098,8778,9879,1249,2649,4429,6319,5909,7429,84910,06210,1109,7949,767
Nahant3,6323,6263,6043,5693,5273,4923,4633,4373,4243,4153,4103,4323,4463,4733,4823,4953,4913,5043,5173,5133,3363,315
Newbury6,6986,7356,7326,7056,6666,6376,6216,6106,6236,6446,6716,7426,7886,8616,9236,9727,0187,0817,1267,1486,7206,701
North Andover27,03527,34127,47427,50827,51527,53627,61727,72427,91928,15828,35828,79129,05629,30129,69530,01730,82430,99831,20731,18830,92130,711
Rockport7,7667,7117,6307,5217,4007,2897,1967,1067,0426,9876,9527,0117,0597,1047,1477,1687,2067,2417,2627,2826,9946,959
Rowley5,5055,5835,6185,6335,6385,6525,6755,7035,7525,8085,8535,9115,9706,0336,1966,2916,2966,3596,4326,4736,1616,131
Salisbury7,8337,9387,9858,0018,0028,0158,0448,0808,1458,2198,2908,3898,4618,5428,6669,2069,2769,3909,4699,5349,2319,212
Saugus26,12726,35026,40326,35726,26726,21426,21326,23426,34726,49326,63427,04727,38427,82327,97328,07828,12028,22228,24028,36128,61228,676
Swampscott14,39914,40814,34814,23514,09913,98313,89613,82113,79313,78313,79013,88513,95814,03314,09414,57214,90314,98015,19915,29815,09915,155
Topsfield6,1416,1706,1656,1376,0996,0716,0546,0426,0516,0686,0866,1866,2906,3956,5036,5296,5376,5646,6046,6416,5656,555
Wenham4,5834,6274,6534,6664,6914,6984,7224,7564,7934,8524,8754,9735,0435,1405,1525,1775,2005,2475,2725,2785,0004,987
West Newbury4,1354,1744,1844,1784,1664,1604,1624,1674,1874,2114,2344,3064,3664,4334,4904,5374,6024,6344,6784,7144,4964,544
Middlesex County, MA1,465,2441,473,0211,468,4881,464,0831,459,2321,454,8681,456,5281,463,1061,477,0491,494,7641,503,1331,524,8481,542,8671,560,2041,574,9931,585,4321,594,6641,603,9431,608,4701,611,6991,632,0021,614,742
Lake County, IL644,682658,986668,022668,760677,735684,419689,891692,995697,369701,042703,400701,642702,083704,207704,294704,611704,158702,475699,587696,535714,342711,239
Westchester County, NY923,621931,577935,219935,799935,457933,401931,426933,414937,449944,201949,218956,262959,585964,567967,044968,773970,267969,689968,213967,5061,004,457997,895
Massachusetts6,349,3646,397,6346,417,2066,422,5656,412,2816,403,2906,410,0846,431,5596,468,9676,517,6136,547,7856,613,5836,663,0056,713,3156,762,5966,794,2286,823,6086,859,7896,882,6356,892,5037,029,9176,984,723

Source: U.S. Census Bureau




INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY