City profile · Delaware · Census ACS 2023

Wilmington, DE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wilmington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

71,124
Residents
$55,269
Median income
$224,500
Median home
$1,810
Median rent (state)

Wilmington - the verdict

Nationally, Wilmington sits in the 28th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wilmington, DE

Delaware's Wilmington is a small city, with 71,124 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $55,269 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 18.7%. Typical homes in Wilmington are valued around $224,500, and the median resident age is 37.0 years. Educational attainment runs 33.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 304 residential building permits were authorized in Wilmington (Rapid Growth), up 46% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Wilmington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4285.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Delaware tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Delaware at 99.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,810 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $243 across Delaware, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Wilmington workers runs 19.7 minutes, with 62.2% driving alone and 14.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

71,124 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Delaware

Median Household Income

$55,269 /yr

Poverty 18.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

99.8 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Delaware average

How does Wilmington compare to other US cities?

Where Wilmington sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Delaware alone, Wilmington ranks #24 of 31 Delaware cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Wilmington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Delaware only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Delaware-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Wilmington's strongest outlier among Delaware cities

Among the 79 Delaware cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Wilmington ranks #4 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Wilmington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#70 of 77
9th percentile in Delaware
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 79
67th percentile in Delaware
Median Home Value
#61 of 77
21st percentile in Delaware
Poverty Rate
#4 of 79
95th percentile in Delaware
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#40 of 79
49th percentile in Delaware

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Delaware only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

28thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wilmington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wilmington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 24 Avg. percentile National median
Wilmington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Wilmington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$224,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Wilmington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wilmington, DE Wilmington, DE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wilmington, DE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wilmington, DE median $55,269/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wilmington, DE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wilmington, DE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
71,124
Median Income
$55,269
Median Home Value
$224,500
Median Age
37.0
Poverty Rate
18.7%
Labor force participation
59.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4285.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1127.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3158.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
51
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
70,000 residents71,000 residents72,000 residents73,000 residents74,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 70,889 residents 73,512 residents ▲ +3.7%
Wilmington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
304
housing units authorized
Single-Family
177
detached homes
Multifamily
127
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 208
2020 205
2021 525
2022 44
2023 299
2024 304

Permit volume increased 46% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.7 minutes
Drive Alone
62.2%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
8.4%
Walk
5.9%
Work from Home
14.5%
Other
1.9%

Based on 34,006 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Delaware - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$243
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Delaware state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Delaware state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wilmington sits in

Cost of Living Index
99.8
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,810/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Delaware

Dover
39,491 people
Newark
30,309 people
Middletown
24,071 people
Bear
22,604 people
Glasgow
16,095 people
Brookside
15,262 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilmington's 71,124 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dothan, AL
71,118 people
St. Charles, MO
71,048 people
Blaine, MN
71,261 people
Rogers, AR
71,411 people
Johnson City, TN
71,455 people
Waukesha, WI
70,779 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilmington's $55,269 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ingalls Park, IL
$55,268 median income
Sylvan Beach, NY
$55,268 median income
Ponca City, OK
$55,270 median income
Buffalo Gap, SD
$55,268 median income
California City, CA
$55,271 median income
Fort Bliss, TX
$55,267 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wilmington, DE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wilmington, DE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 32.4% 52.3% 6.9% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.8% White 32.4% Black or African American 52.3% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.9% Two or more races 6.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wilmington compares to nearby Delaware cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wilmington (this city) 71,124 $55,269
Dover 39,491 $58,336
Newark 30,309 $71,373
Middletown 24,071 $115,252
Census ACS 5-year FIPS DE FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wilmington, DE?

What is the population of Wilmington, DE? +

The population of Wilmington, DE stands at 71,124 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wilmington, DE? +

Median annual household income in Wilmington runs $55,269, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wilmington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wilmington; the closest available measure is the Delaware state average, a cost of living index of 99.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Delaware vary by metro area.

Is Wilmington, DE safe? +

Wilmington has a total crime rate of 4285.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Wilmington, DE? +

Wilmington's median home value sits at $224,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.