Median Income
$83,852
household / year
Median Home Value
$257,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,600
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Bear, DE a Good Place to Live?

Bear is a small city of 23,070 in Delaware, with a median household income of $83,852 and a 7.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Bear stands out for solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bear is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bear city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 103.5

Bear's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bear costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Bear, DE National Avg
Median Home Value $257,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,600 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 63.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $83,852 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Bear's violent crime rate is 311.9 per 100,000 residents — 18% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
311.9 /100k
Property Crime
1264.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bear is served primarily by Appoquinimink School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bear, DE National Avg
School District Appoquinimink School District —
Elementary Schools 13 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 86.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bear sees average highs of 42.5°F in January and 88.6°F in July, with 47.0 inches of annual precipitation and 20.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricBear, DE
Average High — January42.5°F
Average High — July88.6°F
Annual Precipitation47.0"
Annual Snowfall20.2"

Demographics

MetricBear, DENational Avg
Population23,070—
Median Age37.738.9
Unemployment Rate7.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)36.0%59.3%
Black or African American38.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino16.8%18.9%
Asian5.1%6.3%
Under 1822.1%22.2%
65 and over13.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Brookside, DE 4 mi Glasgow, DE 4 mi St. Georges, DE 4 mi Delaware City, DE 6 mi Newark, DE 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Bear

Bear, DE is covered by 1 ZIP code:

19701

Bear vs Other Cities

Bear, DE vs Brookside, DE Bear, DE vs Glasgow, DE Bear, DE vs St. Georges, DE Bear, DE vs Delaware City, DE Bear, DE vs Newark, DE

Frequently Asked Questions

Bear's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bear roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $257,500 and median rent is $1,600/month.
Bear's violent crime rate is 311.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1264.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bear are operated by Appoquinimink School District. The district has 13 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.7:1. 32.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bear, DE has a population of 23,070, a median household income of $83,852, and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bear averages 42.5°F in January and 88.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.0 inches with about 20.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bear, DE is covered by 1 ZIP code: 19701.
The population of Bear, Delaware is 23,070 with a median age of 37.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bear: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $257,500, median household income $83,852, crime index 73 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bear side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.