EssexIL
A town of 849, settled in 1854.
Is Essex a good place to live?
36% of residents are under 18 in Essex, above both the Illinois town median (22%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
849 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Essex: who provides what
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 Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Essex.
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Essex’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Essex for work: only 1% work in town. Essex’s median household income is $108,000, against $83,000 in Illinois’ towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. 3.8% of Essex residents live below the poverty line.
| Essex | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Essex has four seasons and pleasant summers
Essex has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 17° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Essex faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
How healthy Essex is
Essex beats the Illinois average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 39% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Essex.
| Essex | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 35% |
| What stands out | Essex | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.3% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.9% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical home in Essex is valued at about $290K
The typical Essex home is worth about $290,000, up 11.9% in a year, close to the Illinois typical home.
| Essex | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,143 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Essex
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Essex; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Essex residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
99% of working residents leave Essex for work
Where Essex’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Essex
Village in Illinois, United States
Essex is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 841 at the 2020 census, up from 802 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Kankakee-Bradley, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 589 ft
- ZIP code
- 60935
Questions about Essex
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Essex, IL a good place to live?
Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.