Essex County, MA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Essex County: Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Essex County has 222 FIRM panels, the newest effective July 2025; coastal V zones, where waves add to the flood, are mapped along its shore.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for an Essex house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the MassGIS, Property Tax Parcels from city and town assessors, so an Essex lot shows the same lines the town assessor draws. Essex County covers about 315,209 acres of land and 215,024 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The town assessors in Essex County keep the parcel record; a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Massachusetts zoning is set by each city and town, not by the county: in Essex County, Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the town building or zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Essex County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Massachusetts's Zoning Act (General Laws Chapter 40A), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether an Essex lot can add one depends on its district; the town building or zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Essex County is soil survey area MA605, Essex County, Massachusetts, Northern Part, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Essex County needs a permit from the town or city board of health (under MassDEP Title 5 rules).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Essex County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the town building or zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Storm surge. Essex County has coastal V zones on its FEMA map, so storm surge reaches its shore. The county's evacuation zones are on its emergency management site; ParcelSheet shows the FEMA zone and the 3 ft sea level rise map at the lot.
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near an Essex lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Essex County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Essex County has 222 panels, the newest effective July 2025. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Essex County?
Open the Massachusetts map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the town assessors in Essex County shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Essex County?
Zoning in Essex County is set by each city and town (such as Lynn, Lawrence), not by the county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the town building or zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Essex County?
Under Massachusetts's Zoning Act (General Laws Chapter 40A), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Essex County ask the town building or zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Essex County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Essex County needs a permit from the town or city board of health (under MassDEP Title 5 rules). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MA605 (Essex County, Massachusetts, Northern Part).
What can I build on 5 acres in Essex County?
Zoning in Essex County is set by each city and town, not the county (such as Lynn, Lawrence). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the town building or zoning office has the district and its rules.
What are the residential setbacks in Essex County (2026)?
Setbacks in Essex County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the town building or zoning office gives them for the district.
Next to Essex County: Middlesex County, Suffolk County.
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