County · code 50009
Essex CountyVermont
Essex County is a county in Vermont, with its seat in Guildhall, formed in 1792.
- Founded1792
- County seatGuildhall
- Named forEssex, England
- Land area663 sq mi + 11 sq mi water
- Population5,920 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped6,369 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Essex on the map of Vermont
Vermont has 14 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1792 from Orange County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Essex County was created from Orange County on November 5, 1792, but was not fully organized and remained attached to Orange for administrative and judicial purposes. In 1796, Essex was detached from Orange and attached to Caledonia County, and four years later, in 1800, it became fully organized and independent. Over the nineteenth century, Essex gained and lost territory through transfers with neighboring counties Orleans and Caledonia.
- 1792Essex County created Essex created from Orange; Essex not fully organized, attached to Orange for administrative and judicial purposes. · Vt. State Papers, 15:100-102
- 1801Gained territory Essex gained from Orleans when town of Wenlock gained from town of Caldersburgh (now Morgan). · Vt. Laws 1801, pp. 82-83
- 1821
- 1824
- 1856Gained territory Essex gained from Caledonia when towns of Concord and Victory gained from town of Bradleyvale. · Vt. Laws 1856, no. 84/pp. 91-92
Show all 10 changes
- 1792Essex County created Essex created from Orange; Essex not fully organized, attached to Orange for administrative and judicial purposes. · Vt. State Papers, 15:100-102
- 1796
- 1800
- 1801Gained territory Essex gained from Orleans when town of Wenlock gained from town of Caldersburgh (now Morgan). · Vt. Laws 1801, pp. 82-83
- 1804Lost territory Essex lost to Orleans when town of Morgan gained small area from town of Wenlock. · Vt. Laws 1804, ch. 8/pp. 12-13
- 1821
- 1824
- 1826Changed Legislature authorized Caledonia to gain town of Concord from Essex, effective 1 November 1827. Change did not take effect; see 1 November 1827. · Vt. Laws 1826, no. 40/p. 21
- 1827Changed Act of 15 November 1826, authorizing Caledonia to gain town of Concord from Essex, was repealed (no change). · Vt. Laws 1827, no. 37/p. 37
- 1856Gained territory Essex gained from Caledonia when towns of Concord and Victory gained from town of Bradleyvale. · Vt. Laws 1856, no. 84/pp. 91-92
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Essex
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 6,369 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 14 October 2026 · checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 7,105 in all from Vermont Enhanced 911 Board via VCGI.
edited 19 February 2026 · checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Essex by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Essex County's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
In Vermont, permits, zoning and assessing are handled by each city or town, not the county, and town clerks record deeds.
County government
- County government
The official website of Essex County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Essex County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Essex County
- When was Essex County founded?
- Essex County was founded in 1792, formed from Orange County, and named after Essex, England.
- What is the county seat of Essex County?
- The county seat of Essex County is Guildhall.
- Is there an online parcel map for Essex County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 6,369 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Essex County's boundary or name changed?
- Essex County was created in 1792 from Orange County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Caledonia County, Orleans County and Orange County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Essex County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby