Median Income
$70,773
household / year
Median Home Value
$200,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,242
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Elsmere, DE a Good Place to Live?

Elsmere is a small town of 6,194 in Delaware, with a median household income of $70,773 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Elsmere stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

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

All Elsmere 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

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

Metric Elsmere, DE National Avg
Median Home Value $200,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,242 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 66.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $70,773 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Elsmere's violent crime rate is 244.5 per 100,000 residents — 36% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
244.5 /100k
Property Crime
1776.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Elsmere, DE National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 81.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Elsmere sees average highs of 37.9°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 46.4 inches of annual precipitation and 12.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricElsmere, DE
Average High — January37.9°F
Average High — July84.0°F
Annual Precipitation46.4"
Annual Snowfall12.0"

Demographics

MetricElsmere, DENational Avg
Population6,194—
Median Age34.238.9
Unemployment Rate5.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)64.2%59.3%
Black or African American14.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino14.6%18.9%
Asian1.3%6.3%
Under 1828.5%22.2%
65 and over11.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Newport, DE 2 mi Greenville, DE 3 mi Wilmington, DE 3 mi Wilmington Manor, DE 4 mi Edgemoor, DE 5 mi

Elsmere vs Other Cities

Elsmere, DE vs Newport, DE Elsmere, DE vs Greenville, DE Elsmere, DE vs Wilmington, DE Elsmere, DE vs Wilmington Manor, DE Elsmere, DE vs Edgemoor, DE

Frequently Asked Questions

Elsmere's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Elsmere roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $200,700 and median rent is $1,242/month.
Elsmere's violent crime rate is 244.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1776.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Elsmere, DE has a population of 6,194, a median household income of $70,773, and an unemployment rate of 5.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Elsmere averages 37.9°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.4 inches with about 12.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Elsmere, Delaware is 6,194 with a median age of 34.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Elsmere: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $200,700, median household income $70,773, crime index 72 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Elsmere side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.