Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex Homes For Sale
MA
$0K
Avg. Home Value (Zillow, mid-2026)
$0K
Median Sale Price (trailing 12-mo., realtor.com)
0
Population (2020 Census)
0
Incorporated
Location
Where Essex Sits
Live Listings
Homes For Sale in Essex, MA
Listing information is provided by the MLS. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Listings displayed may be subject to prior sale or withdrawal.
A Local's Perspective
From Chebacco Parish Shipyards to Cape Ann's Antiquing and Clam-Shack Capital
Essex's land was first settled by the English in 1634 as part of Ipswich, growing for nearly two centuries as Ipswich's "Chebacco Parish" before splitting off to incorporate as its own town in 1819, taking the name Essex from the surrounding county. Shipbuilding defined the town almost from the start: sheltered along the tidal Essex River, local yards turned out more wooden fishing schooners between the late 1600s and the 20th century than anywhere else in the country, supplying much of the Gloucester and greater Atlantic fishing fleet until the industry wound down around World War II. That legacy is preserved today at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum, housed in the old 1835 Essex Central School House beside an active shipyard site set aside for the trade back in 1668.
Essex holds one more, less expected claim to fame: on July 3, 1916, clam-shack owner Lawrence "Chubby" Woodman is credited with battering and deep-frying the first fried clam at his family's stand on Main Street — still open today as Woodman's of Essex and now in its fifth generation of family ownership. Between the shipbuilding history, working clam shacks, antique shops lining Route 133, and the salt marsh scenery of the Essex River and the broader Great Marsh, the town has built its identity — and its tourism economy — around its maritime and culinary heritage rather than commuter-suburb development.
Essex today is bordered by Ipswich to the north, Hamilton to the west, Manchester-by-the-Sea to the south, and Gloucester to the east — putting it at the geographic center of Cape Ann and a short drive from all four. Housing supply is thin even by North Shore standards: Zillow put the town's average home value near $913K in mid-2026 (up roughly 3% year-over-year), while realtor.com reported a trailing 12-month median sale price of about $820K; because Essex sees only a handful of closed sales in any given month, month-over-month swings reported by some sources have been unusually large and should be read as noise from a small sample rather than a stable trend.
At a Glance
- Population
- 3,675 (2020 Census)
- Land Area
- 14.0 sq mi (15.9 sq mi incl. water)
- County
- Essex, MA
- FY2024 Tax Rate
- $13.32 / $1,000 (most recent verified figure)
- Median Household Income
- ~$161,250 (third-party estimate)
Source-verified as of 2026-07-29.
Highlights
Why People Choose Essex
Essex Shipbuilding Museum
A maritime museum housed in the 1835 Essex Central School House, telling the story of a town that built more wooden fishing schooners than anywhere else in America.
Woodman's of Essex
The Main Street clam shack where Chubby Woodman reportedly invented the fried clam on July 3, 1916 — still family-run five generations later.
Essex River & the Great Marsh
The tidal river that shaped the town's shipbuilding history feeds into Essex Bay and the Great Marsh, one of the largest continuous salt marsh ecosystems in New England.
Stavros Reservation
A 74-acre Trustees of Reservations property centered on Whites Hill, a coastal drumlin with views over the Essex River estuary to Crane Beach and Halibut Point.
Cox Reservation
An Essex County Greenbelt Association property on Route 133 with easy marsh and meadow walking trails; the reservation's circa-1785 farmhouse now serves as Greenbelt's headquarters.
Antique Row
Essex has long been a destination for antique hunters, with a cluster of antique shops and dealers concentrated along Main Street/Route 133 through the village center.
Neighborhoods
Essex's Neighborhoods & Villages
Essex Village
The town's compact commercial center along Main Street (Route 133), home to the antique shops, clam shacks, and the Shipbuilding Museum.
Conomo Point
A small waterfront neighborhood of roughly 100 seasonal and year-round homes on a loop road out to the point overlooking Essex Bay.
Chebacco Lake area
A more inland, wooded residential area around Chebacco Lake, which Essex shares with neighboring Hamilton.
Lifestyle
Life in Essex
Essex's day-to-day life centers on the water, its conservation land, and a small-town Main Street built around antiques and seafood rather than big-box retail.
Schools
Schools Serving Essex
Public Schools
Essex Elementary School
K–5 (Essex)
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
Grades 6–8 (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
Manchester Essex Regional High School
Grades 9–12 (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
School assignments are subject to change — always verify directly with the school district before making a decision. Source (verified 2026-07-29)
Nearby Communities
How Essex Compares
Ipswich
Essex's northern neighbor along Route 133 — and the town Essex itself split off from in 1819.
Gloucester
The Cape Ann fishing city to the east that Essex's shipyards once supplied with schooners.
Manchester By The Sea
Essex's southern neighbor and partner in the Manchester Essex Regional School District.
Hamilton
Essex's western neighbor, sharing Chebacco Lake and home to equestrian estates and the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library.
FAQ
Essex Real Estate — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Essex?
The most recent verified figure is Essex's FY2024 residential tax rate of $13.32 per $1,000 of assessed value; a human should confirm the current FY2026 rate directly with the Assessor's Office before relying on it.
How do I commute to Boston from Essex?
Essex has no MBTA Commuter Rail station of its own; residents typically drive to a station in Gloucester or Ipswich on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, or drive the whole way — roughly 30 miles / 45 minutes to downtown Boston depending on traffic.
Is Essex known for anything besides real estate?
Essex is widely credited as the birthplace of the fried clam (Woodman's of Essex, 1916), and for centuries was one of the nation's leading wooden-schooner shipbuilding towns — a history preserved at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum. Its Main Street is also a well-known destination for antique shopping.
Is there flood risk in Essex?
Much of central Essex sits on marshland surrounding the Essex River and the broader Great Marsh salt-marsh system, so flood exposure varies significantly by parcel — buyers should check FEMA flood maps for the specific property, particularly anything near the river, Essex Bay, or Conomo Point.
What's the current home price range in Essex?
Zillow put Essex's average home value near $913K as of mid-2026 (up about 3% year-over-year), while realtor.com reported a trailing 12-month median sale price around $820K. Essex has very few homes on the market or closing in any given period, so prices can swing more from month to month than in larger towns.
Who provides water and sewer service in Essex?
The Town of Essex operates its own municipal Water Department and Wastewater (sewer) Department, but many properties — especially outside the village center — remain on private wells and/or septic systems, per the town's own Septic Systems/Title 5 guidance; buyers should confirm status for the specific parcel.
What schools would my kids attend in Essex?
Essex is part of the two-town Manchester Essex Regional School District (with Manchester-by-the-Sea): Essex Elementary School (K–5) is in Essex itself, feeding into the Manchester Essex Regional Middle School (grades 6–8) and High School (grades 9–12), both located in Manchester-by-the-Sea.
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