Essex County, Massachusetts
59 ZIP codes · Avg score 59/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
While Essex County avoids the worst tiers, a portion of its 59 ZIP codes have logged violations.
How Essex County Compares
How Essex County Compares
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: 2026-06-03
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.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 11.7 (asthma 11.5%, diabetes 10.3%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,666, driven primarily by flood
Infrastructure: 0.428% avg pipe failure probability, 66% of ZIPs at high risk
74.5% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2024)
↓ Improving trendEPA violation counts by year across Essex County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
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
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,666
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
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
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
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Essex County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrews Farm Water Company,Inc. | 150 | 37 |
| 2 | Four Mile Village | 133 | 37 |
| 3 | Willows at Boxford | 30 | 37 |
| 4 | Andover Water Department | 36,569 | 25 |
| 5 | Haverhill Water Department | 63,235 | 4 |
43 total water systems serve Essex County.
All ZIP Codes in Essex County
59 ZIP codes tracked in Essex County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1842 | Lawrence | 70 | B | 0 | — |
| 2 | 1903 | Lynn | 70 | B | 0 | — |
| 3 | 1931 | Gloucester | 70 | B | 0 | — |
| 4 | 1936 | Hamilton | 70 | B | 0 | — |
| 5 | 1984 | Wenham | 70 | B | 0 | $842K |
| 6 | 1985 | West Newbury | 70 | B | 0 | $766K |
| 7 | 1831 | Haverhill | 68 | C | 1 | — |
| 8 | 1860 | Merrimac | 68 | C | 1 | $531K |
| 9 | 1969 | Rowley | 68 | C | 1 | $634K |
| 10 | 1910 | Lynn | 66 | C | 0 | — |
| 11 | 1961 | Peabody | 66 | C | 0 | — |
| 12 | 1971 | Salem | 66 | C | 0 | — |
| 13 | 1834 | Groveland | 65 | C | 0 | $572K |
| 14 | 1840 | Lawrence | 65 | C | 0 | — |
| 15 | 1901 | Lynn | 65 | C | 0 | $343K |
| 16 | 1904 | Lynn | 65 | C | 0 | $515K |
| 17 | 1832 | Haverhill | 63 | C | 1 | $410K |
| 18 | 1835 | Haverhill | 63 | C | 1 | $431K |
| 19 | 1923 | Danvers | 63 | C | 1 | $611K |
| 20 | 1983 | Topsfield | 63 | C | 1 | $810K |
| 21 | 1922 | Byfield | 62 | C | 0 | $728K |
| 22 | 1843 | Lawrence | 60 | C | 0 | $394K |
| 23 | 1902 | Lynn | 60 | C | 0 | $456K |
| 24 | 1905 | Lynn | 60 | C | 0 | $443K |
| 25 | 1929 | Essex | 60 | C | 0 | $828K |
| 26 | 1944 | Manchester | 60 | C | 0 | $932K |
| 27 | 1970 | Salem | 60 | C | 0 | $498K |
| 28 | 1833 | Georgetown | 59 | C | 2 | $615K |
| 29 | 1940 | Lynnfield | 59 | C | 3 | $891K |
| 30 | 1949 | Middleton | 59 | C | 3 | $713K |
| 31 | 1830 | Haverhill | 58 | C | 1 | $436K |
| 32 | 1844 | Methuen | 58 | C | 1 | $472K |
| 33 | 1913 | Amesbury | 58 | C | 1 | $475K |
| 34 | 1915 | Beverly | 58 | C | 1 | $620K |
| 35 | 1812 | Andover | 56 | C | 5 (2 health) | — |
| 36 | 1899 | Andover | 56 | C | 5 (2 health) | — |
| 37 | 5501 | Andover | 56 | C | 5 (2 health) | — |
| 38 | 5544 | Andover | 56 | C | 5 (2 health) | — |
| 39 | 1841 | Lawrence | 55 | C | 0 | $394K |
| 40 | 1845 | North Andover | 55 | C | 0 | $670K |
| 41 | 1867 | Reading | 55 | C | 1 | $741K |
| 42 | 1906 | Saugus | 55 | C | 0 | $590K |
| 43 | 1907 | Swampscott | 55 | C | 0 | $691K |
| 44 | 1930 | Gloucester | 55 | C | 0 | $588K |
| 45 | 1945 | Marblehead | 55 | C | 0 | $905K |
| 46 | 1960 | Peabody | 55 | C | 0 | $567K |
| 47 | 1966 | Rockport | 55 | C | 0 | $693K |
| 48 | 1908 | Nahant | 53 | D | 1 | $686K |
| 49 | 1965 | Prides Crossing | 53 | D | 0 | $665K |
| 50 | 1951 | Newbury | 52 | D | 0 | $808K |
| 51 | 1938 | Ipswich | 51 | D | 1 | $701K |
| 52 | 1952 | Salisbury | 51 | D | 2 | $450K |
| 53 | 1921 | Boxford | 49 | D | 37 (4 health) | $875K |
| 54 | 1810 | Andover | 47 | D | 5 (2 health) | $814K |
| 55 | 2153 | Medford | 46 | D | 2 (2 health) | — |
| 56 | 1950 | Newburyport | 45 | D | 1 | $792K |
| 57 | 1982 | South Hamilton | 45 | D | 0 | $689K |
| 58 | 1885 | West Boxford | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 59 | 1937 | 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.
- Best Water Filters for PFAS — PFAS detected in 1 ZIP code
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 74.5% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
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
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.