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Essex County, Virginia: crime rate, income and local data
The violent-crime rate in Essex County was 2.3 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), close to the statewide rate (2.3). Median household income is $56,520 and the unemployment rate was 4.0% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 10,623 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Essex County?
From 2021 through 2025, Essex County averaged 25 reported violent crimes a year, along with 108 property crimes. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 2.3: close to the Virginia rate (2.3), and 37% lower than the national rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 10.1 per 1,000 (Virginia: 15.5; U.S.: 18.1).
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Essex County | Per 1,000 | Virginia per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 25 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 2 | 0.19 | 0.30 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.00 | 0.35 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 22 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 108 | 10.1 | 15.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 13 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 89 | 8.3 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 6 | 0.58 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (2 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Essex County?
Median household income is $56,520, 39% lower than the statewide figure ($93,170). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $238,100, and the median rent is $972 a month. 12.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 9.1%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 195 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Essex County | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,623 | 8,705,170 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $56,520 | $93,170 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $238,100 | $383,700 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $972 | $1,579 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.9% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 12.3% | 9.9% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 12.8% | 9.1% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 42.2% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 71.7% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 47.1 | 39.0 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 81.2% | 91.0% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 8.8% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Essex County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Essex County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Essex County, active or completed (October 2026).
Disasters, air and water
Essex County was covered by 3 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 1, Severe Ice Storm 1, Hurricane 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 10 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 3 (low). NHTSA counted 7 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 1 pedestrian.
Is there road construction in Essex County?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Essex County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Essex County?
Essex County has 4 public schools (2024-25) and 4 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 1 nursing home is certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 3 fire or EMS stations and 2 police or sheriff stations.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Essex County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Essex County: Rappahannock TDSA.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Essex County
Gun shops
One gun shop with a public storefront is on the map in Essex County, plus 1 more licensed dealer without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Walmart # 1730 (Tappahannock).
Liquor stores
No liquor stores are on the map in Essex County. Virginia has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Essex County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Essex County?
Essex County averaged 25 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.3 per 1,000 residents, close to the Virginia rate (2.3). The property-crime rate was 10.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Essex County?
$56,520 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $93,170 for Virginia and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Essex County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 195 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Essex County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Essex County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Is there road construction in Essex County right now?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Essex County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Essex County?
1 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Essex County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 32,098 | 2.1 | $87,407 |
| King George County | 27,896 | 1.6 | $116,884 |
| King and Queen County | 6,695 | 1.3 | $70,469 |
| Lancaster County | 10,936 | 3.1 | $69,713 |
| Middlesex County | 10,847 | 1.1 | $75,060 |
| Richmond County | 9,095 | 1.1 | $66,304 |
| Westmoreland County | 18,826 | 1.8 | $63,398 |
More: Virginia statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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