City profile · Delaware · Census ACS 2023

Bethany Beach, DE

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

923
Residents
$105,833
Median income
$648,500
Median home
$1,399
Median rent (state)

Bethany Beach - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Bethany Beach lands in the 81st percentile for household income and the 0th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
54th
percentile, median rent
0th
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: Bethany Beach, DE

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 923 residents in Bethany Beach, a small town within Delaware. The typical household in Bethany Beach brings in $105,833 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.7%. Bethany Beach's housing stock carries a median value of $648,500, and the median resident age is 66.4 years. 64.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 37.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Bethany Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 9881.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Delaware tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Delaware scores 99.8 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,399 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Delaware's average monthly utility costs around $243 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

923 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Delaware

Median Household Income

$105,833 /yr

Poverty 0.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

99.8 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Delaware average

How does Bethany Beach compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% pricier than other cities
Safety 0% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Delaware and the picture shifts: Bethany Beach ranks #32 of 31 Delaware cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Bethany Beach 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 Bethany Beach near the bottom of Delaware's cities

Among the 79 Delaware cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Bethany Beach ranks #54 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bethany Beach only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#17 of 77
78th percentile in Delaware
Median Gross Rent
#54 of 79
0th percentile in Delaware
Median Home Value
#9 of 77
88th percentile in Delaware
Poverty Rate
#70 of 79
11th percentile in Delaware
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#10 of 79
87th 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.

81stIncome percentile
0thSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 0th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bethany Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bethany Beach'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Bethany Beach'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 Bethany Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$648,500 9th percentile more affordable than 9% 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%). 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Bethany Beach $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 - Bethany Beach, DE Bethany Beach, DE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bethany Beach, 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 Bethany Beach, DE median $105,833/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%
Bethany Beach, 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 Bethany Beach, DE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 64.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 37.9%

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

Population
923
Median Income
$105,833
Median Home Value
$648,500
Median Age
66.4
Poverty Rate
0.7%
Labor force participation
37.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
64.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
9881.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
640.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
9240.6
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
900 residents950 residents1,000 residents1,050 residents1,100 residents1,150 residents 202020212022202320242025 955 residents 1,104 residents ▲ +15.6%
Bethany Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
51.4%
Carpool
2.7%
Public Transit
2.1%
Walk
5.2%
Work from Home
31.3%
Other
7.3%

Based on 329 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 Bethany Beach sits in

Cost of Living Index
99.8
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,399/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Delaware

Frankford
883 people
Frederica
972 people
Blades
1,055 people
Felton
1,129 people
Ellendale
675 people
Newport
1,209 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bethany Beach's 923 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Goodland, IN
923 people
Pineville, MO
923 people
Knoxville, PA
923 people
Beaver Creek, TX
923 people
Pala, CA
924 people
Newell, IA
924 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bethany Beach's $105,833 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

San Dimas, CA
$105,833 median income
Three Lakes, MI
$105,833 median income
Oconomowoc, WI
$105,833 median income
Safety Harbor, FL
$105,813 median income
DeWitt, MI
$105,857 median income
Porter, WA
$105,859 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bethany Beach, 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 Bethany Beach, DE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.3% White 96.6% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 1.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.2% 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 Bethany Beach 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
Bethany Beach (this city) 923 $105,833
Frankford 883 $74,583
Frederica 972 $70,288
Blades 1,055 $62,596
Census ACS 5-year FIPS DE FBI UCR OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bethany Beach, DE?

What is the population of Bethany Beach, DE? +

Bethany Beach, DE counts 923 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bethany Beach, DE? +

Bethany Beach households earn a median of $105,833 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bethany Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bethany Beach; 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 Bethany Beach, DE safe? +

Bethany Beach has a total crime rate of 9881.0 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 Bethany Beach, DE? +

A typical home in Bethany Beach is worth $648,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.