Essex County, MA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Essex County: 6 seats on 6 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
District Attorney, Eastern DistrictPaul F. Tucker Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of CourtsThomas H. Driscoll, Jr. Democratic source
Register of ProbatePamela Casey O'Brien Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffKevin F. Coppinger Democratic source
Register of Deeds, Essex Northern DistrictM. Paul Iannuccillo Democratic source
Register of Deeds, Essex Southern DistrictEileen R. Duff Democratic source

How many local governments Essex County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 85 local governments in Essex County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
Cities, towns, villages and townships (10 municipal, 24 township)340
School districts (school boards)80
Special districts (elected boards)430

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (23 in Essex County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Essex County

813,054people
41.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$101,883 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
43%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$619,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.1%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
19.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
2.8%U.S.: 8.4%
56.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
32.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 24.1% · White 64.5% · Black 3.5% · Asian 3.5% · Other or more than one race 4.4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Essex County

4.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.5%. Massachusetts: 4.1%.
19,120people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
420,849people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
439,969in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Essex County 0.0%2.6%5.3%7.9%10.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.3%19,120420,849439,969
August 20264.6%20,210422,372442,582
July 20264.8%21,372421,491442,863
June 20264.3%19,108423,190442,298
May 20264.3%18,573417,774436,347
April 20264.3%18,671419,239437,910
March 20264.6%20,390418,956439,346
February 20265.1%22,663417,441440,104
January 20265.3%23,388419,110442,498
December 20254.7%20,799422,603443,402
November 20254.7%20,940423,576444,516
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.5%20,103423,091443,194
August 20254.8%21,646428,202449,848
July 20255.0%22,444428,535450,979
June 20254.7%21,004429,620450,624
May 20254.5%20,243426,304446,547
April 20254.2%18,691430,312449,003
March 20254.6%20,803429,580450,383
February 20254.8%21,615427,909449,524
January 20254.6%20,771430,480451,251
December 20244.0%18,013430,989449,002
November 20243.9%17,362430,479447,841
October 20243.9%17,514429,361446,875
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%20,824427,292448,116
20244.1%18,228428,672446,900
20233.5%15,471422,386437,857
20223.7%16,203417,728433,931
20215.7%24,869408,170433,039
202010.0%43,463391,608435,071
20193.1%13,521427,084440,605
20183.5%15,223422,159437,382
20173.9%16,376408,223424,599
20164.1%17,020398,288415,308

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Massachusetts's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.3% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Essex County

252.8 per 100,0002023. Massachusetts: 320.9.
793.3 per 100,0002023. Massachusetts: 1,119.3.
17murders2023, 2,045 violent crimes in all.

2023 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20232,045252.86,416793.3
20222,280281.96,212768.0
20211,916238.75,749716.3
20201,845233.65,749727.9
By police agency (34)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lynn Police Department20255801,148103,819
Lawrence Police Department202532280089,201
Haverhill Police Department202522545968,267
Peabody Police Department202516234755,523
Methuen Police Department20256232254,591
Salem Police Department20253258546,067
Beverly Police Department20258421443,268
Andover Police Department20253220836,920
North Andover Police Department20253214232,340
Gloucester Police Department20257016130,595
Saugus Police Department20254937029,056
Danvers Police Department20253744728,648
Marblehead Police Department2025158620,563
Newburyport Police Department2025148919,333
Amesbury Police Department2025169617,607
Swampscott Police Department20252014415,761
Ipswich Police Department202544114,159
Lynnfield Police Department202597313,256
Middleton Police Department2025115210,020
Salisbury Police Department202513529,440
Georgetown Police Department20258248,558
Boxford Police Department2025078,348
Hamilton Police Department20255207,677
Rockport Police Department2025367,097
Newbury Police Department202514276,902
Groveland Police Department2025016,856
Merrimac Police Department20253216,814
Topsfield Police Department20251136,618
Rowley Police Department20234146,369
Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department20255125,473
Wenham Police Department2025844,934
West Newbury Police Department20252154,712
Essex Police Department2025673,771
Nahant Police Department20252103,331

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Massachusetts · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.72 per 1,000 residents2025, 34 agencies serving 825,886 people.
1,423sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
250civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (34), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Lynn Police Department17422103,819
Lawrence Police Department1492189,201
Haverhill Police Department1112268,267
Methuen Police Department97754,591
Peabody Police Department851955,523
Salem Police Department891346,067
Beverly Police Department74843,268
Saugus Police Department671229,056
Andover Police Department531836,920
Gloucester Police Department58730,595
North Andover Police Department451732,340
Danvers Police Department461428,648
Marblehead Police Department30820,563
Newburyport Police Department31519,333
Amesbury Police Department31417,607
Ipswich Police Department25714,159
Lynnfield Police Department22613,256
Salisbury Police Department1899,440
Swampscott Police Department26015,761
Rockport Police Department1757,097
Georgetown Police Department1548,558
Hamilton Police Department1547,677
Middleton Police Department17110,020
Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department1515,473
Groveland Police Department1406,856
Merrimac Police Department1046,814
Newbury Police Department1136,902
West Newbury Police Department1044,712
Nahant Police Department1213,331
Topsfield Police Department1216,618
Wenham Police Department1214,934
Boxford Police Department1208,348
Essex Police Department1013,771
Rowley Police Department1016,361
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251,4231.7225034
20241,4241.7227034
20231,4181.7524834
20221,4221.7625734

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Essex County District Attorney, Eastern District?
Paul F. Tucker (Democratic) is the District Attorney, Eastern District of Essex County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Essex County Clerk of Courts?
Thomas H. Driscoll, Jr. (Democratic) is the Clerk of Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Essex County Register of Probate?
Pamela Casey O'Brien (Democratic) is the Register of Probate of Essex County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Essex County Sheriff?
Kevin F. Coppinger (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Essex County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Essex County Register of Deeds, Essex Northern District?
M. Paul Iannuccillo (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Essex Northern District of Essex County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Essex County Register of Deeds, Essex Southern District?
Eileen R. Duff (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Essex Southern District of Essex County, Massachusetts.
What is the population of Essex County?
About 813,054 people, with a median age of 41.2; the median household income is $101,883 and 9.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Essex County?
4.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 19,120 people unemployed in a labor force of 439,969, against 4.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Essex County?
85 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 10 municipal, 24 township, 8 school district and 43 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's certified election statistics (PD43+) of each seat's last election, and the county governments' own pages for their commissioners; officials appointed since an election may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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