Essex, Illinois

About Essex

Set in the eastern part of Illinois, Essex is a tiny community, home to 853 residents as of the latest Census estimates.

Essex holds the status of an incorporated village, one of the most intimate forms of local government in America. The community covers 2.33 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 366 residents per square mile.

📰 Essex News Today

• Data center fears mount after Illinois village residents prepare for the worst FOX 32 Chicago · Jul 15
• Fred Sweet Obituary Mar 24, 2026 - Reeves - Baskerville - Fruland Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Home · Mar 24
• Mary Ann Watchinski - View Obituary & Service Information R. W. Patterson Funeral Homes · Jul 14
• Obituary for Diane Marie Essex Prugh Funeral Service · Aug 14
• Essex residents fear data center may be coming to former golf course Shaw Local · Jul 27

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

📰 Local News

Read the latest Illinois headlines on our news site, Bless News Daily.

What Makes Essex Unique

• One of 6 places in the US named Essex — but the Illinois one has a character all its own.
• Positioned in eastern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• A tight community feel that bigger cities can't replicate.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 5 miles.

⚡ Quick Facts

🌤️ Current Weather

Full forecast →

Source: National Weather Service

🗺️ Map of Essex

🏘️ Nearby Communities