How long is the commute from Essex, MA?

Name: Commute and cars in Essex, MA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Essex, MA take an average of 24.9 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

69.1% of workers drive alone to work.

0.3% take public transportation.

5.0% of workers walk to work.

23.6% work from home.

1.2% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 24.9 minutes (±3.3)
Public transportation: 0.3%
Work from home: 23.6%
Households without a car: 1.2%

How people in Essex get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Essex	Essex County	Massachusetts	United States
Drove alone	69.1% (±6.3 points)	67.6%	61.2%	68.8%
Carpooled	1.3% (±1.2 points)	7.3%	7.0%	8.5%
Public transportation	0.3% (±0.6 points)	3.5%	6.5%	3.2%
Walked	5.0% (±4.1 points)	2.7%	4.1%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	0.5% (±0.8 points)	2.5%	2.6%	2.0%
Worked from home	23.6% (±6.3 points)	16.4%	18.6%	15.1%

In Essex, the average commute is lower than in Essex County (28.5 minutes).

It is also lower than in Massachusetts (29.1 minutes).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Essex, the share commuting by public transportation is lower than in Essex County (3.5%).

It is also lower than in Massachusetts (6.5%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In Essex County, Essex ranks 31 of 34 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 285 of 351.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Essex

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Essex	Essex County	Massachusetts	United States
No vehicle	1.2% (±1.4 points)	9.3%	11.7%	8.4%
1 vehicle	22.3% (±7.3 points)	35.2%	36.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	47.9% (±8.0 points)	37.4%	35.7%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	28.6% (±6.5 points)	18.1%	16.5%	21.9%

In Essex, the share of households without a vehicle is lower than in Essex County (9.3%).

It is also lower than in Massachusetts (11.7%).

It is lower than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Essex

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Essex	Essex County	Massachusetts	United States
Workers working from home	23.6% (±6.3 points)	16.4% (±0.5 points)	18.6% (±0.2 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	98.1% (±1.7 points)	95.2% (±0.4 points)	95.7% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	98.7% (±1.4 points)	92.4% (±0.5 points)	92.8% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In Essex, the share of households with a broadband subscription is higher than in Essex County (92.4%).

It is also higher than in Massachusetts (92.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Essex

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Essex
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Essex	—	24.9 minutes (±3.3)	—
Ipswich (community)	3.6 mi	26.5 minutes (±4.2)	Not measurably different
Gloucester	4.4 mi	23.9 minutes (±1.5)	Not measurably different
Hamilton	4.5 mi	32.3 minutes (±3.3)	Higher
Ipswich	5.0 mi	29.4 minutes (±2.9)	Higher
Manchester-by-the-Sea	5.4 mi	29.7 minutes (±5.2)	Not measurably different
Wenham	6.3 mi	27.5 minutes (±4.1)	Not measurably different
Beverly	6.9 mi	30.0 minutes (±1.6)	Higher
Rowley (community)	7.2 mi	24.7 minutes (±3.6)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Hamilton, MA (32.3 minutes), Ipswich, MA (29.4 minutes), Beverly, MA (30.0 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Essex County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
25	Methuen	27.7 minutes (±1.2)
26	Salisbury	27.6 minutes (±3.8)
27 (tie)	Topsfield	27.5 minutes (±3.5)
27 (tie)	Wenham	27.5 minutes (±4.1)
29	Haverhill	27.4 minutes (±1.1)
30	Peabody	25.8 minutes (±1.2)
31	Essex	24.9 minutes (±3.3)
32 (tie)	Gloucester	23.9 minutes (±1.5)
32 (tie)	Newbury	23.9 minutes (±3.3)
34	Lawrence	23.0 minutes (±0.9)

Showing 10 of 34 places in Essex County, ranked from highest to lowest.

The figures for Essex include the places inside it that have pages of their own: Essex (community).

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Essex

How long is the average commute in Essex?

Workers who live in Essex, MA take an average of 24.9 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Essex without a car?

1.2% of households in Essex have no vehicle, and 0.3% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Essex?

23.6% (±6.3 points) of workers who live in Essex worked from home, and 98.7% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Essex town, Essex County, Massachusetts (county subdivision:21850, in state:25 county:009).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.