What does this measure?
The share of jobs in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector, shown as a percentage of all jobs in a geographical area.
Why is this important?
Arts and culture bring distinction and visitors to a region, and employment in the sector provides a measure of the sector's relative financial strength and contribution to the larger regional economy.
How is our county doing?
In 2023, 2.5% of jobs in Essex County were in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector, representing about 7,200 people. This was a higher share of jobs than in the U.S. (at 2%). Since 2010, employment in this sector increased by 0.2 percentage points in Essex County, similar to the national level which saw no change during the same period.
How do we compare to similar counties?
In 2023, Westchester County had the same share of jobs in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector as Essex at 2.5%. Lake County, IL (2%) and Middlesex County, MA (1.3%) both had smaller shares than in Essex County. Since 2010, Middlesex, MA and Westchester County, NY have seen a similar increase as Essex in this sector's employment.
Notes about the data
County employment estimates are reported by place of work, not place of residence.