Essex 78 Exceptional
Essex Livability #61 ranked city in Maryland#2,108 ranked city in the USARanks better than 92% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Essex

PROS
  • Commute

    A high commute score suggests convenient, easy access to public transportation, with shorter-than-average work commute times to work.

  • Housing

    High scores in the housing category are attributed to this area, possibly pointing to a favorable home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety

    Achieving a high health and safety score relies on factors including great air quality and convenient access to vital health facilities such as hospitals, doctors, clinics and police stations.

  • Ratings

    Locals express favorable opinions about the proximity of everyday local amenities, parks, public transit, neighborly atmosphere, strong sense of community and the general safety of the area.

CONS
  • Crime

    This area exhibits elevated crime rates per 100,000 residents, which may suggest it's a potentially unsafe place to reside. These rates encompass both property and violent crimes.

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What's it like Living in Essex?

Located in the state of Maryland, Essex is a medium-sized city with a population of 39,307 people. With a population density of 4,245 people per square mile, Essex is well above the nation's average density level. In Essex, only 50% of people over the age of fifteen are married. This city could be a good option for singles ready to mingle. When traveling to work, spending unnecessary time in your vehicle is not ideal and downright frustrating. Across all of America, the average one way commute time is 26 minutes, unfortunately, living in Essex offers up a higher than average one way commute time of 31 minutes.

If you’re considering moving to any new city, it could be a very discouraging task. However, it could also be a good experience if you are willing to get to know the area before actually living in Essex, Maryland. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is of utmost importance, ensuring a secure environment with low crime. Proximity to your workplace or school helps reduce commuting time and offers convenience. Access to amenities such as parks, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities enhances your daily life. Public transportation options contribute to easy mobility. A sense of community fosters a supportive and engaging environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere should align with your desired lifestyle, ensuring a fulfilling living experience. Considering these items will guide you towards finding the perfect neighborhood that fits all your needs. To help you find the best places to live in and around Essex, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like crime, health & safety, education, employment and more.

With a livability score of 78/100, Essex is ranked #1,893 in the United States and #59 in Maryland. Clearly, Essex is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. This city is also ranked in the top 10 percentile of all cities across the USA. If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that Essex ranks well for cost of living (B), employment (B-) and housing (B+). There are some categories that Essex does not rank well for, including: crime (F) and education (D). It might be worth taking a closer look to determine why.

Finding affordable real estate and housing in Essex can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.

Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Essex. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Essex are affordable. Median real estate prices in Essex come in at $195,700, which is 32.6% lower than the Maryland average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Essex, the home price to income ratio is 3.3, which is 13.2% lower than the Maryland average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Essex

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Essex?

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Compare Essex, MD Livability

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      Essex transportation information

      Statistic Essex Maryland National
      Average one way commute31min32min26min
      Workers who drive to work73.7%73.7%76.4%
      Workers who carpool10.0%9.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit8.6%8.9%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk1.3%2.4%2.8%
      Working from home4.7%4.4%4.6%
      Source: The Essex, MD data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).