Financial Self-Sufficiency
Median Household Income by Household Type, 2017-21


Median Household Income by Household Type, 2017-21

What does this measure?

Median household income, in 2021 dollars, broken down by type of household. Half of incomes are below the median and half are above.

Why is this important?

Median household income is a gauge of the overall economic health of the region and the financial resources of households.

How is our county doing?

In 2017-21, the overall median household income in Essex County was $82,900. Median incomes were lowest among households with children headed by single females, at $37,400, followed by single-parent households headed by males, $58,300. Married-couple households without children had a median income of $122,600, while married couples with children had the highest median income at $152,000. After inflation, these median incomes increased since 2000 for all households, but median income for single-parent households headed by females increased only slightly (2%).

Essex County's incomes were similar to the state across household types. Compared to the nation, Essex County had higher median incomes across all household types, but the difference was greater for married couple households than for single-parent households. Among Essex County cities with statistically reliable results, single-parent households headed by women had the lowest median income in Haverhill ($31,700).

How do we compare to similar counties?

In 2017-21, Essex County had a lower median household income for single females with children than the comparison counties -- $40,900 in Lake, IL, $47,900 in Middlesex, MA and $48,900 in Westchester, NY. Essex County also had the lowest median among the comparison counties for married couples without children. Married couples with children in Essex had lower median incomes than in Middlesex ($179,100) and Westchester ($187,400), and higher than in Lake ($145,000).

Notes about the data

Figures are in constant 2021 dollars. The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with 3 asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Median Household Income by Household Type, 2017-21
Married with ChildrenMarried without ChildrenSingle Female with ChildrenSingle Male with Children
Essex County, MA$152,045$122,596$37,396$58,295
Amesbury$164,444**$130,142$40,898N/A******
Beverly$181,372$118,010$27,951******$49,965******
Gloucester$118,047$120,349$21,214******$65,227**
Haverhill$132,435$104,899$31,680$53,545****
Lawrence$65,595$69,361$36,404$42,358**
Lynn$90,108$100,767$31,711**$51,688**
Methuen$118,260$115,451$39,776$64,255******
Newburyport$210,884$156,223$74,701**N/A******
Peabody$133,050$114,330$41,149**$61,042******
Salem$113,152$121,198$22,500**$50,899******
Andover$229,519$192,282$110,133****$97,031**
Boxford$247,734$164,872N/A******N/A******
Danvers$181,097$123,788$44,375****$113,333
Essex$170,599**$137,188**$21,161N/A******
Georgetown$179,464**$131,771**$34,063******N/A******
Groveland$151,484****$150,769$121,071******$76,552******
Hamilton$183,833$108,385**N/A******N/A******
Ipswich$173,988$142,708$62,552******$141,964******
Lynnfield$223,750$145,125$52,292******N/A******
Manchester$250,001$214,621N/A******N/A******
Marblehead$223,750$179,183$58,419******N/A******
Merrimac$153,645$135,500**N/A******N/A******
Middleton$181,327**$154,833**N/A******N/A******
Nahant$185,571$144,680N/A******N/A******
Newbury$250,001$170,208******$86,473****N/A******
North Andover$205,758$167,378N/A******$106,085**
Rockport$162,576**$113,672$67,037******$180,272**
Rowley$163,786$126,014N/A******N/A******
Salisbury$133,618$114,750$55,104******$73,750
Saugus$121,349**$115,037$51,202**$97,614******
Swampscott$172,924$133,750$82,175**$103,854
Topsfield$228,373$128,782****N/A******N/A******
Wenham$180,446**$175,278N/A******N/A******
West Newbury$217,727$163,750$106,146******N/A******
Middlesex County, MA$179,054$146,626$47,943$72,147
Lake County, IL$145,014$127,518$40,938$63,033**
Westchester County, NY$187,366$151,484$47,967$57,100
Massachusetts$154,325$123,377$37,877$61,803
United States$110,026$96,028$32,586$50,942

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.








Median Household Income by Household Type, 2000
Married with ChildrenMarried without ChildrenSingle Female with ChildrenSingle Male with Children
Essex County, MA$126,287$113,030$36,688$53,308
Beverly$127,096$111,342$43,059$62,243
Gloucester$107,707$101,489$28,909$51,928
Haverhill$116,073$105,498$38,533$50,042
Lawrence$73,533$69,990$27,256$42,218
Lynn$94,763$93,984$30,543$47,633
Methuen$116,182$100,996$34,859$53,539
Newburyport$148,806$122,571$72,664$64,721
Peabody$121,087$111,613$44,728$61,629
Salem$110,263$101,560$40,455$46,083
Andover$213,099$156,686$56,474$160,310
Boxford$223,305$185,351$102,671$130,373
Danvers$136,144$115,175$55,458$65,914
Essex$133,772$117,355$26,024$57,218
Georgetown$135,955$131,316$40,323$177,799
Groveland$132,949$117,680$65,737$51,844
Hamilton$158,696$116,224$92,239$110,239
Ipswich$134,402$131,943$52,733$88,778
Lynnfield$178,495$139,450$71,836$133,032
Manchester$172,681$153,033$63,789$285,717
Marblehead$205,410$168,894$70,665$91,082
Merrimac$132,814$109,188$52,860$59,976
Middleton$145,039$157,350$56,926$43,131
Nahant$134,984$125,466$27,785$75,224
Newbury$150,416$141,122$53,539$66,584
North Andover$176,628$143,996$63,364$52,013
Rockport$118,046$115,273$46,641$83,809
Rowley$144,422$125,928$37,274$106,301
Salisbury$95,794$103,873$50,959$79,290
Saugus$114,489$112,739$33,884$101,757
Swampscott$154,596$140,667$72,684$87,197
Topsfield$179,880$154,733$109,956$0
Wenham$179,655$141,329$79,969$0
West Newbury$167,346$169,475$44,474$83,357
Middlesex County, MA$141,438$127,736$45,928$65,091
Lake County, IL$139,036$136,227$48,575$65,610
Westchester County, NY$163,486$144,956$42,378$66,144
Massachusetts$121,317$108,725$36,007$56,165
United States$96,712$90,503$32,991$48,643

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.








INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Decreasing
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Maintaining
Prevalence of Overweight Children Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Decreasing
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Youth Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable