Living in Essex County, Virginia
Tappahannock anchors the county on the Rappahannock River with a historic downtown, a VCU Health community hospital, and the US 17/360 crossroads. Farmland and river frontage fill out the rest.
Commute & how people work
About 11% of Essex County workers work from home and the typical commute runs 38 min.
How long the commute is, share of commuters
| Under 10 min | 14% | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 to 19 min | 21% | |
| 20 to 29 min | 16% | |
| 30 to 44 min | 13% | |
| 45 min or more | 37% |
How people get to work, share of workers
| Drive alone | 78% | |
|---|---|---|
| Carpool | 7% | |
| Public transit | 0% | |
| Walk or bike | 1% | |
| Work from home | 11% | |
| Other | 2% |
Check drive times from a specific address →
Compare commutes across Middle Peninsula →
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2024). County-wide figures, not a specific address.
Schools
Essex County Public Schools reports a 95% on-time graduation rate, with 67% passing Math and 68% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments (VDOE School Quality Profile).
Before you choose an address
- Which school is assigned to this exact address today?
- Are there specialty, magnet, or transfer programs with separate deadlines?
- What is the real commute or bus time during morning drop-off?
- Confirm attendance zone and enrollment steps before relying on listing copy.
Check a specific address for nearby schools, commute, and services →
Compare school signals across Middle Peninsula →
Amenities & walkability
Within a few miles you'll find about 0 restaurants & cafes and 0 grocery stores. The town center is car-dependent (0 walkable spots within a mile). Counts from OpenStreetMap.
Local businesses
Use this as a daily-life snapshot: grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, and everyday places that help you picture a normal week in Essex County. Owner-approved details appear when available.
Restaurants
- 17 South
Churches & faith communities
- Hermon Church, 8792 Mount Landing Road, VA
- Mount Zion Church
- First Union Church
- Saint Johns Church
Browse the full Essex County directory, search businesses, parks & employers →
Business listings start from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and public local directories; owner-approved updates appear after review. Own or manage one? Claim or add your listing.
Major employers & institutions
The biggest workplaces in and around Essex County: the universities, hospitals, plants, and offices that anchor the local economy.
Hospitals & health systems
Government & public sector
- Commissoner of the Revenue
- Essex County Administration Building
- Essex County Circuit Court
- Essex County Circuit Court Entrance
- Essex County Commissoner of the Revenue
- Essex County Commonwealth's Attorney
- Essex County Department of Social Services
- Essex County Health Department
Major employers & offices
- Farmers Insurance
A starting list of the area's largest workplaces, compiled from public sources and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
By the numbers
Cost of living
Who lives here
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Risk
Source: FEMA NFHL (approx, area-weighted)
Frequently asked questions
What are property taxes like in Essex County?
Essex County's real-estate tax rate is about $0.55 per $100 of assessed value (roughly 0.55% a year).
How are the schools in Essex County?
Essex County Public Schools reports a 95% on-time graduation rate, with 67% passing Math and 68% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments.
How long is the commute in Essex County?
The average commute for Essex County workers is about 38 minutes, and 35% get to work in under 20 minutes. County-wide Census figures, not a specific address.
Can I work remotely from Essex County?
About 11% of Essex County workers already work from home.
Nearby area guides
Keep exploring Middle Peninsula with nearby area guides.
Moving from out of state?
See your tax and cost-of-living savings if you're moving from out of state:
Credit
Compare costs in the moving guide →
Sources and freshnessLast rebuilt 2026-09-14 with public records and source notes for Living in Essex County.
- Last rebuilt 2026-09-14 from the latest records synced into this guide.
- 1 area uses assessed value because usable sale-price coverage is limited.
- Property and tax figures come from county/city parcel, sales, and assessor records.
- School metrics use Virginia Department of Education profiles when available.
- Amenity and business counts use OpenStreetMap, so hours and listings can change.
- Jobs, events, news, and business-directory layers are included only after their feeds or curated sources sync.
- Use these figures as planning estimates, then verify taxes, listings, and school details before making an offer.
Also exploring Southwest Virginia?
This page is focused on Middle Peninsula. Open a neighboring guide when your search crosses into another part of the region.