Essex County, NJ Distress Report: Foreclosure, Tax Liens & ZIPs (2026)
Where is distress concentrating in Essex County, New Jersey? DLRadar grades every Essex County ZIP 0-100 from foreclosure, tax-lien, mortgage and insurance records, peaking at 24/100. Here is the 2026 Essex County breakdown.
- Essex County's most distressed ZIP is 07003 at 24/100.
- 31 ZIP codes tracked in Essex County, averaging 24/100 distress.
- Essex County reads expansion — home values up 5.2% year over year.
- Vacancy runs 5.1% across Essex County's tracked ZIPs, with a 13% poverty rate.
- The typical Essex County home is worth about $609,768 against a ~$95,763 median income.
- Lending headwind in Essex County sits at 55/100 — a forward read on distressed supply.
Compiled from the DLRadar property-distress index and refreshed monthly. Cite with credit to DLRadar (dlradar.com).
| Rank | ZIP | Composite distress |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07003 | 24/100 |
| 2 | 07004 | 24/100 |
| 3 | 07006 | 24/100 |
| 4 | 07009 | 24/100 |
| 5 | 07017 | 24/100 |
| 6 | 07018 | 24/100 |
| 7 | 07021 | 24/100 |
| 8 | 07028 | 24/100 |
| 9 | 07039 | 24/100 |
| 10 | 07040 | 24/100 |
| 11 | 07041 | 24/100 |
| 12 | 07042 | 24/100 |
Most distressed ZIP codes in Essex County (composite distress 0-100, 2026)
What is driving Essex County distress
Essex County's placement in the national index rests on public filings — a 24/100 average across its ZIPs. DLRadar reads FHFA price trajectory, CFPB mortgage delinquency, recorder-level foreclosure and tax-lien activity, FEMA/NFIP loss history and Census ACS demographics.
Essex County market phase and pricing
The cycle in Essex County is expansion, with values up 5.2% year over year. Softening prices lengthen time-on-market, which is where negotiable sellers appear.
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Questions and answers
Where is distress highest inside Essex County, NJ?
ZIP 07003 leads Essex County at 24/100, recomputed monthly from public records.
Which phase does Essex County sit in right now?
Essex County is classified expansion with a 5.2% year-over-year increase, following the FHFA House Price Index.
Which datasets feed the Essex County scores?
Essex County draws on FHFA (expansion trajectory), CFPB mortgage performance, county recorder filings, FEMA/NFIP and Census ACS — every one a public source. The scoring model does not change between counties, so these 31 ZIPs are comparable to anywhere else.
How much do distress scores vary between Essex County ZIP codes?
One county number flattens a wide range. Across the Essex County ZIPs DLRadar ranks, scores run from 24/100 in 07003 down to 24/100 in 07042, against a Essex County average of 24/100. Those 0 points separate the ZIPs worth working in Essex County from the rest.
What do Essex County home values and vacancy say about distressed supply?
The typical Essex County home carries about $609,768 of value against a median household income near $95,763. Vacancy across Essex County's tracked ZIPs runs 5.1% and the poverty rate is 13%. A tight budget and an empty house together turn a missed payment into a sale, so they are scored beside Essex County's foreclosure and lien data and its 55/100 lending headwind.
Related
DLRadar scores property distress from public records by deterministic formulas — not investment, legal, or financial advice. Figures refresh monthly from the live index.