State Guide

Best Places to Live in Delaware

The most affordable, safest, and highest-income cities across 79 Delaware cities — ranked from official data.

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Choosing where to live in Delaware comes down to a few trade-offs — cost of living, safety, income, and schools. The rankings below pull those out from U.S. Census, FBI, and NCES data so you can see the standouts at a glance, then drill into any city or put two side by side.

Most Affordable Cities in Delaware

Lowest cost of living index (100 = U.S. average · lower is cheaper).

#City Cost of Living Population
1 Dover 92 38,879
2 Smyrna 92 12,870
3 Milford 95 11,714
4 Wilmington 104 71,034
5 Newark 104 30,655
6 Middletown 104 23,573
7 Bear 104 23,070
8 Glasgow 104 15,405
9 Brookside 104 14,331
10 Hockessin 104 13,878

Safest Cities in Delaware

Lowest crime index (100 = U.S. average · lower is safer). Limited to cities with complete FBI reporting.

#City Crime Index Population
1 Middletown 49 23,573
2 Newark 87 30,655
3 Smyrna 114 12,870
4 Milford 194 11,714
5 Wilmington 238 71,034
6 Dover 276 38,879

Highest-Income Cities in Delaware

Highest median household income (US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates).

#City Median Income Population
1 Hockessin $164,848 13,878
2 Glasgow $104,692 15,405
3 Middletown $104,662 23,573
4 Pike Creek Valley $86,953 11,452
5 Bear $83,852 23,070
6 Claymont $72,840 10,191
7 Smyrna $68,260 12,870
8 Newark $67,738 30,655
9 Brookside $66,485 14,331
10 Wilmington $54,731 71,034

Best School Districts in Delaware

Highest school-quality grade (student-teacher ratio, adult attainment, and graduation data where available).

#City School Grade Population
1 Hockessin A 13,878
2 Newark A 30,655
3 Middletown A- 23,573
4 Bear B+ 23,070
5 Wilmington B 71,034
6 Claymont B 10,191
7 Glasgow B 15,405
8 Brookside B 14,331
9 Milford B- 11,714
10 Smyrna B- 12,870

Popular Delaware City Comparisons

Head-to-head breakdowns of the state's largest cities.

Wilmington vs Dover Wilmington vs Newark Wilmington vs Middletown Wilmington vs Bear Wilmington vs Glasgow Wilmington vs Brookside Wilmington vs Hockessin Dover vs Newark Dover vs Middletown Dover vs Bear Dover vs Glasgow Dover vs Brookside

All Cities in Delaware

Click any city for the full profile. Data from U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-Year Estimates).

City Population Median Income Median Home Median Rent Unemployment Crime Index
Wilmington 71,034 $54,731 $203,600 $1,157 8.6% 238
Dover 38,879 $54,438 $222,800 $1,165 8.7% 276
Newark 30,655 $67,738 $334,400 $1,482 7.0% 87
Middletown 23,573 $104,662 $363,800 $1,443 7.2% 49
Bear 23,070 $83,852 $257,500 $1,600 7.7% 73
Glasgow 15,405 $104,692 $320,000 $1,694 6.4% 73
Brookside 14,331 $66,485 $242,700 $1,391 4.5% 73
Hockessin 13,878 $164,848 $546,600 $3,501 4.6% 73
Smyrna 12,870 $68,260 $246,400 $1,396 6.1% 114
Milford 11,714 $53,472 $255,300 $1,109 6.1% 194
Pike Creek Valley 11,452 $86,953 $281,800 $1,525 4.1% 73
Claymont 10,191 $72,840 $248,200 $1,208 3.9% 73
North Star 8,370 $165,179 $508,100 — 3.7% 73
Wilmington Manor 8,260 $72,432 $198,700 $1,078 3.9% 73
Seaford 8,055 $49,469 $208,400 $1,064 11.5% 266
Georgetown 7,247 $47,238 $257,200 $1,163 2.0% 206
Pike Creek 6,975 $129,614 $398,100 $2,220 3.5% 73
Millsboro 6,876 $64,622 $247,300 $1,156 3.6% 111
Edgemoor 6,485 $70,672 $287,100 $1,278 5.6% 73
Elsmere 6,194 $70,773 $200,700 $1,242 5.2% 72
New Castle 5,523 $95,884 $240,800 $1,525 1.3% 127
Rising Sun-Lebanon 4,060 $78,205 $408,900 $1,621 1.3% 78
Clayton 3,978 $98,367 $302,100 $1,539 2.3% 27
Laurel 3,954 $42,710 $168,000 $883 13.9% 287
Camden 3,914 $60,549 $267,700 $1,593 3.5% 131
Highland Acres 3,892 $104,762 $282,800 $1,463 3.0% 78
Harrington 3,770 $63,814 $198,000 $1,123 5.0% 100
Milton 3,349 $67,763 $374,000 $1,215 7.4% 61
Lewes 3,339 $87,458 $778,800 $1,354 1.0% 36
Dover Base Housing 3,262 $67,174 — $1,844 4.2% 78
Long Neck 2,983 $59,563 $119,200 $1,268 7.5% 48
Selbyville 2,907 $93,971 $374,500 $1,527 3.4% 42
Greenville 2,824 $133,614 $936,500 $1,561 3.5% 73
Townsend 2,728 $147,917 $378,600 $988 2.5% 12
Ocean View 2,660 $88,004 $436,700 $2,038 1.5% 21
Bridgeville 2,590 $61,523 $348,900 $854 7.6% 61
Delmar 2,398 $55,625 $212,800 $939 5.2% 140
Riverview 2,270 $87,708 $261,500 — 1.8% 78
Kent Acres 2,124 $68,162 $209,100 $1,482 6.8% 78
Millville 2,052 $92,961 $430,700 $2,066 2.3% 48
Woodside East 2,002 $53,517 — $872 22.3% 78
Delaware City 1,932 $71,513 $226,300 $1,295 8.9% 36
Wyoming 1,888 $63,398 $251,600 $1,190 17.9% 105
Cheswold 1,639 $68,083 $147,500 $850 4.5% 65
Greenwood 1,556 $68,418 $207,300 $1,299 3.7% 36
Bellefonte 1,526 $81,563 $258,900 $1,493 4.5% 73
Lincoln 1,439 $83,125 $240,500 — 0.0% 48
Rehoboth Beach 1,357 $147,273 $1,230,700 $1,344 7.0% 246
Dagsboro 1,338 $65,625 $271,400 $1,140 5.0% 59
Rodney Village 1,304 $33,534 $151,400 $1,079 4.9% 78
St. Georges 1,304 $161,346 $428,000 — 3.0% 73
Newport 1,145 $62,875 $250,800 $1,158 5.3% 128
Felton 1,136 $55,536 $250,300 $860 5.7% 75
Bethany Beach 1,064 $104,167 $610,300 $1,398 2.3% 277
Frederica 1,001 $63,200 $196,700 $1,119 5.1% 78
Blades 960 $61,625 $192,000 $830 5.0% 152
Frankford 842 $72,841 $245,200 $1,272 0.8% 32
Arden 652 $74,620 $477,100 $1,219 4.5% 73
Ellendale 609 $64,886 $214,500 $1,329 0.0% 48
South Bethany 490 $106,840 $774,300 — 4.0% 48
Houston 426 $92,500 $253,100 $1,156 8.4% 78
Kenton 400 $50,804 $221,300 — 30.3% 78
Slaughter Beach 393 — $757,500 $682 3.9% 48
Odessa 389 $87,321 $333,300 $1,181 0.6% 73
Bethel 376 $90,250 $233,500 — 3.3% 48
Dewey Beach 359 $98,500 $812,500 $1,179 1.7% 400
Fenwick Island 350 $118,438 $1,166,700 — 0.0% 80
Bowers 336 $69,500 $259,700 $1,188 8.9% 78
Little Creek 272 $57,917 $154,700 $1,111 6.8% 78
Magnolia 263 — $183,300 $1,400 9.4% 78
Woodside 253 $77,500 $255,200 $1,160 3.4% 78
Farmington 234 — $141,300 — 39.3% 78
Ardentown 223 $81,250 $340,000 $1,464 4.8% 73
Henlopen Acres 193 $168,750 $2,000,001 — 3.0% 48
Ardencroft 190 $120,658 $416,200 $1,333 0.0% 73
Leipsic 171 $46,250 $205,000 $1,125 7.3% 78
Hartly 161 $143,153 — — 0.0% 78
Port Penn 138 — — — 0.0% 73
Viola 81 $88,750 $250,000 — 8.9% 78

Frequently Asked Questions

Dover, DE is among the most affordable cities in Delaware, with a cost of living index of 92 (US average = 100) and a median home value of $222,800. See the full ranking above.
Middletown, DE ranks among the safest cities in Delaware, with a crime index of 49 (100 = U.S. average, lower is safer). Crime data from the FBI UCR Program.
Hockessin, DE has one of the highest median household incomes in Delaware at $164,848 per year. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

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