Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$715,954+2.1% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 21% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$155,204About 1.5× the local median income ($102,044): hard to afford
Days on market39 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+1.4%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Essex County, MA is worth $715,954, up 2.1% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $626,876, so the area is 14.2% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 39 days to sell, listings are up 38% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 1.4% over the next year. A household needs about $155,204 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $102,044. Typical rent is $2,595 a month, or $3,040 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 2,725 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$715,954
Change in 1 year
+2.1%
Overvalued %
+14.2%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$626,876
Change in 5 years
+25.3%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+1.4%
Home value to income
7.0×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$3,880
Income needed to afford it
$155,204
Property tax rate
1.04%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$2,595
Typical rent for houses
$3,040
Price-to-rent ratio
23.0×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,819
Gross rental yield
4.35%
Cap rate (estimate)
2.83%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+38.4%
Days on market
39
Listings with a price cut
21.1%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
1,366
Pending sales per 100 listings
63
Asking price per sq ft
$404
People and jobs
Median household income
$102,044
Population change (1 year)
+0.1%
Unemployment rate
5.1%
Show 4 more
Population
826,653
Income adjusted for cost of living
$94,223
Net moves in (IRS)
−2,725
Cost of living (US = 100)
108.3
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
5.0
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
95.6
Unhealthy air days a year
3
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
97.8
Wildfire risk score
59.2
Walkability (1 to 20)
11.8
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is Essex County, MA overvalued?
Home prices in Essex County, MA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $626,876, so the area is 14.2% overvalued.
Is Essex County, MA a buyer's or seller's market?
Essex County, MA is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 39 days to sell, listings are up 38% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Essex County, MA?
Home values in Essex County, MA are up 2.1% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +1.4%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Essex County, MA?
A household needs about $155,204 a year to afford the typical home in Essex County, MA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $102,044.