City profile · Delaware · Census ACS 2023

Bellefonte, DE

Bellefonte's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

1,507
Residents
$86,667
Median income
$275,200
Median home
$1,560
Median rent (state)
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State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Bellefonte.

Place dossier plate

Sheet DE-BELLEFONTE-DE · Bellefonte, DE 1,507 pop · income 68th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 1,507
  • INC-HIGH $86,667
  • COL-PAR 99.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 68th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Dayton
  • HOME-MID $275,200
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Dayton, ID (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Bellefonte

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Bellefonte on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Bellefonte on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 1,507.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $86,667. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Bellefonte - the verdict

Nationally, Bellefonte sits in the 68th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

68th
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
78th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Bellefonte, DE

Delaware's Bellefonte is a small town, with 1,507 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $86,667 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.5%. Home values in Bellefonte run a median of $275,200, and the median resident age is 41.9 years. Educational attainment runs 33.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 72.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,560 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Delaware's average monthly utility costs around $243 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 91.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Bellefonte's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to comparison shortlist to population change to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Bellefonte, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Bellefonte?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 67.4%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for Bellefonte?

Within Delaware, the closest population matches are St. Georges (1,564 residents, $146,944 income); Rehoboth Beach (1,388 residents, $141,250 income); Lincoln (1,639 residents, $74,712 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Astor, FL (1,507 residents); Malta, IL (1,507 residents); Madison, MN (1,507 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

3. Population change

Is Bellefonte growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.

Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +28 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +2.2% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

See the national growth ranking →

Question 4

How far does income reach against housing in Bellefonte?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 1.5%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

1,507 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$86,667 /yr

Above median income · poverty 1.5% (Low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

99.8 (US=100)

Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Delaware average

City profile score · Bellefonte, DE

65/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Poverty rate A
1.5%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Household income B-
$86,667

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share C+
33.0%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Cost of living D
99.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Bellefonte profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Poverty rate, Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Cost of living. Poverty rateHousehold incomeBachelor's+ shareCost of living 65 B-
Bellefonte profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Poverty rate: 89/100 (A) · 1.5%
  • Household income: 66/100 (B-) · $86,667
  • Bachelor's+ share: 63/100 (C+) · 33.0%
  • Cost of living: 41/100 (D) · 99.8 index

How does Bellefonte compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 68% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 78% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Delaware-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Bellefonte near the bottom of Delaware's cities

Among the 79 Delaware cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Bellefonte ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bellefonte only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#31 of 77
60th percentile in Delaware
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 79
0th percentile in Delaware
Median Home Value
#43 of 77
44th percentile in Delaware
Poverty Rate
#63 of 79
19th percentile in Delaware
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#41 of 79
48th percentile in Delaware
How in-state ranks are ordered

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.

68thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

68th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Bellefonte's home value compares nationally

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

$275,200 39th percentile more affordable than 39% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Bellefonte $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

Bellefonte's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,568 of 15,516
More affordable than 51% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#6,263 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.2×, Bellefonte sits in the moderate band: national rank #7,568 of 15,516 and #6,263 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$86,667 Bellefonte, DE median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Bellefonte, DE Bellefonte, DE's median household income ($86,667) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Bellefonte, DE-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Bellefonte, DE median $86,667/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%
Bellefonte, DE median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Bellefonte, DE.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 72.0%

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

Population
1,507
Median Income
$86,667
Median Home Value
$275,200
Median Age
41.9
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Labor force participation
72.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.0%

Population Change

PEP vintage

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,280 residents1,290 residents1,300 residents1,310 residents1,320 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,285 residents 1,313 residents ▲ +2.2%
Bellefonte's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 1,285 residents
2021 1,286 residents
2022 1,290 residents
2023 1,301 residents
2024 1,310 residents
2025 1,313 residents

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.4%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
21.6%

Based on 824 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Delaware statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $243

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Delaware at $243 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $48 ).

These are Delaware statewide averages, not a meter reading for Bellefonte. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Delaware's BEA cost-of-living index is 99.8 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Bellefonte is $1,560/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Delaware statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 91.3 / 100 (Very High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Delaware statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Bellefonte sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Bellefonte compares to similar-size Delaware cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Bellefonte (this city) 1,507 $86,667
St. Georges 1,564 $146,944
Rehoboth Beach 1,388 $141,250
Lincoln 1,639 $74,712
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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