Essex County, NY Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Essex County, New York is about $278,000 (the 2026 median across 25 ZIP codes, at ~$246/sq ft) — 17% more affordable than the New York median and 4% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Essex County compares
Essex County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $278,000 against $333,000 for New York and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $112,000 to $1,030,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County | $278,000 | $246 |
| New York | $333,000 | $241 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Essex County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Essex County (of 25 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12858 Paradox | $1,030,000 | $542 | +271% |
| 12943 Keene Valley | $521,000 | $292 | +87% |
| 12942 Keene | $503,000 | $298 | +81% |
| 12997 Wilmington | $430,000 | $408 | +55% |
| 12946 Lake Placid | $403,000 | $288 | +45% |
| 12936 Essex | $377,000 | $314 | +36% |
| 12870 Schroon Lake | $368,000 | $364 | +32% |
| 12941 Jay | $343,000 | $266 | +23% |
| 12987 Upper Jay | $340,000 | $238 | +22% |
| 12996 Willsboro | $291,000 | $220 | +5% |
| 12852 Newcomb | $290,000 | $332 | +4% |
| 12975 Port Kent | $286,000 | $251 | +3% |
| 12993 Westport | $278,000 | $248 | +0% |
| 12932 Elizabethtown | $253,000 | $246 | -9% |
| 12857 Olmstedville | $248,000 | $272 | -11% |
Home value appreciation in Essex County
Home prices in Essex County have risen about 87% over the last 10 years (≈6.5% a year) and +101.4% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +1.0% — still rising. A home worth $278,000 today was worth roughly $148,346 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, New York is +85.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Essex County
Run the numbers for Essex County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Essex County
To buy the typical $278,000 home in Essex County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $76,000 a year (about $1,760 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $90,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $13,900 | $2,190/mo | $94,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $27,800 | $2,100/mo | $90,000/yr |
| 20% | $55,600 | $1,760/mo | $76,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Essex County
At about $246 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Essex County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 610 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 810 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1020 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 1220 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1630 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to New York.
Estimate a specific home in Essex County
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Essex County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all New York cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.