COUNTY REPORT MA

Essex County, Massachusetts

59 ZIP codes · Avg score 59/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-07-19

ZipCheckup grade for Essex: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

While Essex County avoids the worst tiers, a portion of its 59 ZIP codes have logged violations.

How Essex County Compares

Essex County59/100
Massachusetts avg66/100
National avg68/100

How Essex County Compares

C
County Grade
59/100
Avg Safety Score
59
ZIP Codes
43
Water Systems

Essex County scores 7 points below the Massachusetts state average (66/100) and 9 points below the national average (68/100).

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-07-19

C
County Grade
59
Avg Safety Score
59
ZIP Codes
Lawrence
Best ZIP: 01842 (70/100)
Hathorne
Lowest ZIP: 01937 (40/100)
$634K
Median Home Value
$2,707
Avg Remediation (43% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Essex County, Massachusetts

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 11.7 (asthma 11.5%, diabetes 10.3%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,869, driven primarily by flood

Infrastructure: 0.463% avg pipe failure probability, 62% of ZIPs at high risk

74.5% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

Violation History (2021–2024)

↓ Improving trend

EPA violation counts by year across Essex County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2021
7 (7 health)
2022
6 (6 health)
2023
3 (3 health)
2024
3 (3 health)

Peak year: 2021 with 7 violations. Past 5 years: 19 total (19 health-based). Health-based violations are declining versus the prior 2-year window.

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 11.5% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.3% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 30% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1962
Median Build Year
74.5%
Pre-1978 Housing
46%
Pipe Failure Probability
62%
ZIPs at High Infra Risk
High
Lead Pipe Risk

Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,869

Flood $1,476/yr
Energy Code Gap $515/yr
Sea Level Rise $400/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

336,666 housing units in Essex County

Pre-1940 35%
1940–1959 15%
1960–1979 20%
1980–1999 18%
2000+ 11%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Essex County

$634K
Median Home Value
$2,707
Est. Remediation Cost
0.4%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Essex County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Essex County residents

Asthma 11.5% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.3% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 30% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Essex County

8 community water systems serving Essex County.

Show all 8 water systems

43 total water systems serve Essex County.

Systems with the most violations in Essex County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in Essex County

59 ZIP codes tracked in Essex County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 01842 Lawrence 70 B 0 —
2 01903 Lynn 70 B 0 —
3 01931 Gloucester 70 B 0 —
4 01936 Hamilton 70 B 0 —
5 01984 Wenham 70 B 0 $842K
6 01985 West Newbury 70 B 0 $766K
7 01831 Haverhill 68 C 1 —
8 01860 Merrimac 68 C 1 $531K
9 01969 Rowley 68 C 1 $634K
10 01910 Lynn 66 C 0 —
11 01961 Peabody 66 C 0 —
12 01971 Salem 66 C 0 —
13 01834 Groveland 65 C 0 $572K
14 01840 Lawrence 65 C 0 —
15 01901 Lynn 65 C 0 $343K
16 01904 Lynn 65 C 0 $515K
17 01832 Haverhill 63 C 1 $410K
18 01835 Haverhill 63 C 1 $431K
19 01923 Danvers 63 C 1 $611K
20 01983 Topsfield 63 C 1 $810K
21 01922 Byfield 62 C 0 $728K
22 01843 Lawrence 60 C 0 $394K
23 01902 Lynn 60 C 0 $456K
24 01905 Lynn 60 C 0 $443K
25 01929 Essex 60 C 0 $828K
26 01944 Manchester 60 C 0 $932K
27 01970 Salem 60 C 0 $498K
28 01833 Georgetown 59 C 2 $615K
29 01940 Lynnfield 59 C 3 $891K
30 01949 Middleton 59 C 3 $713K
31 01830 Haverhill 58 C 1 $436K
32 01844 Methuen 58 C 1 $472K
33 01913 Amesbury 58 C 1 $475K
34 01915 Beverly 58 C 1 $620K
35 01812 Andover 56 C 5 (2 health) —
36 01899 Andover 56 C 5 (2 health) —
37 05501 Andover 56 C 5 (2 health) —
38 05544 Andover 56 C 5 (2 health) —
39 01841 Lawrence 55 C 0 $394K
40 01845 North Andover 55 C 0 $670K
41 01867 Reading 55 C 1 $741K
42 01906 Saugus 55 C 0 $590K
43 01907 Swampscott 55 C 0 $691K
44 01930 Gloucester 55 C 0 $588K
45 01945 Marblehead 55 C 0 $905K
46 01960 Peabody 55 C 0 $567K
47 01966 Rockport 55 C 0 $693K
48 01908 Nahant 53 D 1 $686K
49 01965 Prides Crossing 53 D 0 $665K
50 01951 Newbury 52 D 0 $808K
51 01938 Ipswich 51 D 1 $701K
52 01952 Salisbury 51 D 2 $450K
53 01921 Boxford 49 D 37 (4 health) $875K
54 01810 Andover 47 D 5 (2 health) $814K
55 02153 Medford 46 D 2 (2 health) —
56 01950 Newburyport 45 D 1 $792K
57 01982 South Hamilton 45 D 0 $689K
58 01885 West Boxford 40 D 0 —
59 01937 Hathorne 40 D 0 —

Recommended Buyer Guides for Essex County

Editorial methodology pairs each documented risk in this county with the buyer category that addresses it, drawing on water-quality detections, housing-stock lead exposure, EPA Radon Zone designation, and FEMA flood and wildfire ratings. NSF-certified options surface where applicable, and products that match the specific contaminant take priority.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Essex County, Massachusetts

Overview

Essex County in Massachusetts covers 59 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (59/100).

26 of 59 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 16 health-based violations have been documented.

← Back to Massachusetts water quality report

Data Sources

Updated daily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Essex County?
Essex County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.
How many water systems serve Essex County?
Essex County is served by 43 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 59 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Essex County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Essex County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $2,869 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Essex County?
The median home build year in Essex County is 1962. 74.5% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Essex County compare to Massachusetts?
Essex County has an average water safety score of 59/100, which is below the Massachusetts state average of 66/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Essex County, MA: PFAS Found in Water - 59/100 (2026). https://zipcheckup.com/county/massachusetts/essex/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-county-massachusetts-essex,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Essex County, MA: PFAS Found in Water - 59/100 (2026)}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/massachusetts/essex/}
}

Data as of July 2026.

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