Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 712, settled in 1870.
Of the 138 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower median rent than Essex. Iowan's Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 617 in 1880, a peak of 1,001 in 1980, 722 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1978 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Essex, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Essex.
Most working residents leave Essex for work: only 4% work in town. Essex’s median household income is $58,000, where Iowa’s towns sit at $69,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. The average trip to work in Essex is 22 minutes.
| Essex | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Essex Community School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 101 | B− |
| Essex Junior-Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 87 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Essex home is worth about $184,000, up 4.4% in a year, 22% below the Iowa typical home. 79% of Essex households own their home, against 70% in Iowa’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Essex has cold winters and warm summers. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 5 have a higher July high than Essex.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Essex beats the Iowa average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Essex. Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Essex.
| Essex | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Essex | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Anderson Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Essex; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Essex residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Essex’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, USA
Essex is a city in Page County, Iowa, United States. The population was 722 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 884 population in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.