Essex County, Massachusetts
267,480 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 3.2% | 8,046 of 251,783 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 9 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 21.6% | Estimated from 218,638 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 11 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 9.3% | 24,769 of 267,480 parcels in all | 12.0% | 11 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.1% | 332 of 266,547 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 9 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 81.1% | 216,118 of 266,547 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 6 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 3.1% | 8,344 of 266,547 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 13 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 8,046 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 2,714 | 33.7% |
| Florida | 1,254 | 15.6% |
| New York | 497 | 6.2% |
| California | 470 | 5.8% |
| Texas | 361 | 4.5% |
| Maine | 324 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 294 | 3.7% |
| Connecticut | 247 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 175 | 2.2% |
| Virginia | 137 | 1.7% |
| 42 other states and territories | 1,526 | 19.0% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 45 | 0.6% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $2,941/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 2 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +25.9% | +48.1% (median county) | 11 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $619,100 | $587,550 (median county) | 7 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 17.5 | 20.1 (median county) | 10 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +1.5% | +2.3% | 10 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 3.2% | 21.6% | 9.3% | 0.1% | 81.1% | 3.1% | $2,941 | +25.9% | 17.5 | +1.5% |
| Middlesex County | 2.6% | 22.1% | 8.1% | 0.1% | 81.2% | 3.3% | $2,941 | +25.9% | 20.6 | +2.6% |
| Suffolk County | 4.0% | 40.2% | 6.0% | under 0.1% | 76.8% | 2.5% | $2,941 | +25.9% | 20.0 | +4.2% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Hillsborough County, NH, Rockingham County, NH.