What are the schools like in New Castle, DE?

New Castle is served primarily by Colonial School District. The district operates 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.4:1.

What is the median household income in New Castle?

The median household income in New Castle, DE is $95,884 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.3%.

What is the weather like in New Castle, DE?

New Castle has an average high temperature of 41.4°F in January and 86.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 45.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 20.2 inches.

New Castle, DE Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is New Castle, DE affordable or expensive?

New Castle's cost of living index is 104, where 100 represents the national average. This means New Castle is 4% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $240,800 and the median rent is $1,525 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in New Castle, DE?

New Castle has a violent crime rate of 378.2 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3530.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is New Castle, DE a Good Place to Live?

New Castle is a small town of 5,523 in Delaware, with a median household income of $95,884 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: New Castle stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether New Castle is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All New Castle 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

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

Metric	New Castle, DE	National Avg
Median Home Value	$240,800	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,525	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	62.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$95,884	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

New Castle's violent crime rate is 378.2 per 100,000 residents — 0% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

378.2 /100k

Property Crime

3530.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

New Castle is served primarily by Colonial School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	New Castle, DE	National Avg
School District	Colonial School District	—
Elementary Schools	8	—
Middle Schools	3	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.4:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	32.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.7%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

New Castle sees average highs of 41.4°F in January and 86.8°F in July, with 45.3 inches of annual precipitation and 20.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	New Castle, DE
Average High — January	41.4°F
Average High — July	86.8°F
Annual Precipitation	45.3"
Annual Snowfall	20.2"

Demographics

Metric	New Castle, DE	National Avg
Population	5,523	—
Median Age	49.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	22.2 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	65.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	28.8%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	4.7%	18.9%
Asian	0.3%	6.3%
Under 18	14.0%	22.2%
65 and over	21.0%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Wilmington Manor, DE 1 mi Newport, DE 4 mi Pennsville, NJ 4 mi Wilmington, DE 5 mi Elsmere, DE 5 mi

ZIP Codes in New Castle

New Castle, DE is covered by 1 ZIP code:

19720

New Castle vs Other Cities

New Castle, DE vs Wilmington Manor, DE New Castle, DE vs Newport, DE New Castle, DE vs Pennsville, NJ New Castle, DE vs Wilmington, DE New Castle, DE vs Elsmere, DE

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Castle, DE affordable or expensive?

New Castle's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts New Castle roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $240,800 and median rent is $1,525/month.

What is the crime rate in New Castle, DE?

New Castle's violent crime rate is 378.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3530.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in New Castle?

Public schools in New Castle are operated by Colonial School District. The district has 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1. 32.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is New Castle, DE a good place to live?

New Castle, DE has a population of 5,523, a median household income of $95,884, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in New Castle?

New Castle averages 41.4°F in January and 86.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.3 inches with about 20.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in New Castle?

New Castle, DE is covered by 1 ZIP code: 19720.

What is the population of New Castle?

The population of New Castle, Delaware is 5,523 with a median age of 49.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in New Castle?

Key numbers for living in New Castle: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $240,800, median household income $95,884, crime index 127 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare New Castle side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.