Essex County, New York: commercial real estate data.
Essex County, New York had an estimated 36,744 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,379, across 1,794 square miles. County output reached $2.34 bn in 2024, 1,186 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 38 7(a) approvals worth $27.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Essex County
How many people live in Essex County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,973
- Households16,342
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$71,661
- Median age49.9
- Median gross rent$934 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$211,900
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over29,098
- Population under 185,703
- Share under 1815.4 percent
- Population 65 and over9,757
- Share 65 and over26.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,513
- Civilian labor force17,740
- Unemployment rate4.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.7 percent
- Rank by population among New York counties56th of 62
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1285th of 3,222
Essex County is the 56th largest of 62 New York counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.4 percent against 15.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Essex County
Is Essex County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202436,744
- Census 2020 base population37,379
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.70 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-52
- Births, 2024255
- Deaths, 2024514
- Natural change, 2024-259
- Net domestic migration, 2024104
- Net international migration, 2024105
- Total net migration, 2024209
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024151
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2422nd of 3,144
The county has lost 1.70 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Essex County
Where are people moving to Essex County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving953
- People arriving, from those returns1,502
- Tax returns filed by households leaving995
- Net household movement-42
- Adjusted gross income arriving$72.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$75,807
- Average income of a leaving household$74,436
- Largest single originClinton County (141 households)
- Largest single destinationClinton County (185 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County | 141 | 207 | $6.6 m |
| Franklin County | 96 | 142 | $4.6 m |
| Warren County | 56 | 103 | $2.8 m |
| Saratoga County | 35 | 55 | $3.5 m |
| Washington County | 22 | 32 | $991,000 |
| Chittenden County | 22 | 33 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $1,371 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Clinton County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Essex County
What is the Essex County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.16 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.0 percent
- GDP change over five years35.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New York areas BEA publishes53rd of 62
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1157th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$63,164
Output grew 8.0 percent in the latest year and 35.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Essex County
Employment by industry in Essex County
- Covered employment, annual average14,768
- Establishments reporting1,334
- Average annual pay$58,601
- Average weekly wage$1,127
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,535
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$36,365
- Retail trade, employment1,745
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,886
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,740
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$54,827
- Construction, employment1,030
- Construction, average annual pay$101,726
- Manufacturing, employment879
- Other services, except public administration, employment473
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 2,535 | 187 | $36,365 |
| Retail trade | 1,745 | 171 | $36,886 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,740 | 105 | $54,827 |
| Construction | 1,030 | 152 | $101,726 |
| Manufacturing | 879 | 30 | $84,890 |
| Other services, except public administration | 473 | 109 | $45,522 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 465 | 56 | $41,141 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 293 | 88 | $89,230 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 2,535 jobs, 17.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Essex County
How many businesses are in Essex County?
- Establishments, all industries1,186
- Employment at those establishments10,192
- Annual payroll$597.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents32.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Essex County
Building permits in Essex County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024153
- Declared construction value permitted$54.7 m
- Single family units authorized150
- Multifamily units authorized3
- Multifamily share of units2.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$357,461
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.4
Single-family homes are 98.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Essex County
SBA loans in Essex County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded38
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$27.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$727,445
- Median 7(a) approval$225,000
- 10th percentile approval$27,100
- 90th percentile approval$2,038,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)277
- Jobs per approval7.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals23
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter25
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (7)
- Most active lenderArrow Bank National Association (7)
- 504 approvals recorded22
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.2 m
- Average 504 approval$555,091
- Median 504 approval$405,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved5.2
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (22)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$39.9 m
The average approval of $727,445 sits well above the median of $225,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 28.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Essex County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Essex County
Do SBA loans in Essex County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure26
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Essex County
SBA lending by place in Essex County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Lake Placid, approvals9
- Ticonderoga, approvals8
- Schroon Lake, approvals7
- Wilmington, approvals6
- North Hudson, approvals2
- Essex, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Placid | 9 | $5,812,500 |
| Ticonderoga | 8 | $6,558,900 |
| Schroon Lake | 7 | $445,000 |
| Wilmington | 6 | $11,060,000 |
| North Hudson | 2 | $678,500 |
| Essex | 2 | $40,000 |
| Saranac Lake | 1 | $1,850,000 |
| Elizabethtown | 1 | $1,150,000 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 2 | $48,000 |
Lake Placid accounts for 9 approvals against 8 in Ticonderoga. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Essex County
How large is Essex County?
- Land area1,794 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New York counties2nd of 62
- Width, east to west51.8 mi
- Height, north to south55.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land21
- Establishments per square mile0.66
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Essex County
Flood risk in Essex County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book21
- Of those, participating in the NFIP21
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Essex County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Essex County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Essex County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Essex County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,973
- Households16,342
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$71,661
- Median age49.9
Common questions
Essex County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Essex County, New York?
The Census Bureau estimates 36,744 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 36,973, in 16,342 households, ranking 56th of 62 New York counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Essex County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.70 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,379, to 36,744 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 255 births against 514 deaths, with net migration of 209. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Essex County?
$71,661. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $211,900, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $934 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Essex County?
1,186 establishments, employing 10,192 people with an annual payroll of $597.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Essex County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 2,535 jobs, 17.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,768 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,601, or $1,127 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Essex County?
38 7(a) approvals totaling $27.6 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $225,000, plus 22 504 approvals worth $12.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Essex County?
153 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $54.7 m. Multifamily was 2.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Essex County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Essex County come from?
The largest single origin is Clinton County, with 141 households. Arriving households report an average income of $75,807 against $74,436 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Essex County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Essex County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Essex County
Cities and places in Essex.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Essex County. All 13 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saranac Lake | village | 4,965 | 1 | 40.3 percent here, 59.7 percent Franklin County |
| Ticonderoga | CDP | 3,260 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Keeseville | CDP | 2,570 | None recorded | 51.4 percent here, 48.6 percent Clinton County |
| Lake Placid | village | 2,306 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Port Henry | CDP | 1,410 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mineville | CDP | 1,206 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wilmington | CDP | 904 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Schroon Lake | CDP | 898 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Elizabethtown | CDP | 721 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Willsboro | CDP | 661 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Willsboro Point | CDP | 646 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westport | CDP | 403 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Witherbee | CDP | 202 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 38 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Essex County, the largest being North Hudson (2), Essex (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.