Essex is a town in Essex County, New York, home to about 710 people across 32 square miles. Its ZIP code is 12936, and parts of 12993 are in Essex too.
Homes sold for a median of $236 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Essex; also Westport
Mostly Westport; part is in Essex
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 | Albany International Airport (ALB)108 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV)18 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Boston, MA179 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | New York, NY251 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 621 residents in the 2020 census, down 13% since 2000.
It’s the 937th largest of 1,007 towns in New York by population.
Essex County grew from 30,707 residents in 1900 to 37,381 in 2020.
Essex County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 88 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Burlington Intl Ap, VT weather station (18 miles away).
10,192 jobs at 1,186 businesses in Essex County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
5 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Essex.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 3 |
|---|---|
| Physical and occupational therapists | 2 |
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.
Grocery stores
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 4 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.
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside School at Black Kettle FarmEssex | Pre-K–3 | 20 | Nonsectarian | 1.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Westport, Lewis Town (Essex County) and Moriah.
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.