Essex County
The history of Essex County dates back to 1666, when 30 Connecticut families purchased land from the Lenni Lenape Indians for $800 along the banks of the Passaic River. It wasn’t until 1682 that the East Jersey Legislature established it as one of the four original counties in New Jersey.
Today, Essex County is an industrial and financial hub with corporations like Prudential, Bell Atlantic, and PSE&G calling it home. The area has 21 municipalities and, as of 2019, has a population of 798,975 and a median household income of $61,510.
Essex County offers many recreational and cultural activities, including the Newark Museum of Art, Turtle Back Zoo, Branch Brook Park, and South Mountain Reservation.
