Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, home to about 6,794 people across 10 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 06409, 06426 and 06442.
Homes sold for a median of $433 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 2 of 3 were seller’s markets.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Essex. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Essex’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Bradley International Airport (BDL)43 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)25 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | New York, NY93 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Essex; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Essex had 6,733 residents in the 2020 census, up 4% since 2000.
It’s the 118th largest of 169 towns in Connecticut by population.
Middlesex County grew from 41,760 residents in 1900 to 164,245 in 2020.
Middlesex County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 23°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Groton New London Ap, CT weather station (19 miles away).
203 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Essex’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 19 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 13 |
| Dentists | 8 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 26 |
| Mental health providers | 100 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 34 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (8 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (4 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Essex School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Elementary SchoolCenterbrook | Pre-K–6 | 307 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steward Outdoor SchoolIvoryton | K–5 | 10 | Episcopal | 2.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.