Here's a breakdown:
* Est-ce: This is a contraction of "est-ce que," meaning "is it that" or "do they."
* habitent: This is the third-person plural present tense of the verb "habiter," meaning "to live" or "to reside."
* près: This means "near" or "nearby."
Therefore, "Est-ce habitent près" is a question asking if a group of people live nearby.