What does this measure?

The percentage of all occupied housing units (not vacant) that are owner-occupied (not rented).

Why is this important?

Homeownership is an important factor for neighborhood stability and civic participation. A home is a vital financial asset for a family and an investment in both the local neighborhood and surrounding community.

How is our county doing?

In 2020-24, the homeownership rate in Essex County was 63%, level since 2010-14, on par with the state rate, and slightly lower than the national rate. Although the rate in Essex County has remained steady overall, homeownership rates varied greatly among local communities. The lowest rate was in Lawrence (28%) followed by Lynn (48%) and Salem (50%). The highest rates were in West Newbury (96%), Boxford (95%), and Middleton (93%).

How do we compare to similar counties?

Essex County's homeownership rate in 2020-24 was similar to Middlesex, MA and Westchester, NY, but lower than Lake, IL, at 75%. Similar to Essex, rates in all three comparison counties changed little since 2010-14.

Notes about the data

Multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.