Town · Delaware
Elsmere, Delaware
Elsmere, town, in New Castle County, Delaware. Elsmere had 6,196 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,229 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,203 (±24). GEOID 1024540.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,196
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,229 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,203 ±24
Median household income
$67,944
±$19,241 (90% margin)
Delaware: $84,954
Median home value
$225,800
±$13,041 (90% margin)
Delaware: $352,000
Median gross rent
$1,339
±$123 (90% margin)
Delaware: $1,401
Where is Elsmere and what county is it in?
Elsmere is a town in New Castle County, Delaware. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 6,311 residents per square mile in 2020.
Elsmere is in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Elsmere, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,196 people lived in Elsmere on July 1, 2025, down 0.5% since 2020, while Delaware grew 7.1%. The 2020 Census counted 6,229 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,203 (±24).
| Measure | Elsmere | New Castle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,203 ±24 | 577,961 | +260 |
| Households | 2,238 ±218 | 224,173 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.77 ±0.27 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,301 ±228 | 236,079 | −437 |
Elsmere's population since 2000
From 5,800 in 2000 to 6,196 in 2025: up 6.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Elsmere as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Elsmere?
The median resident of Elsmere is 35.5 years old; 27.2% are under 18 and 12.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 41.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 38.1%. 11.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Elsmere | New Castle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 ±5.2 | 39.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.2% ±4.9 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.5% ±4.5 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 52.4% ±3.7 pts | 48.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 38.1% ±10.2 pts | 11.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 41.5% ±9.1 pts | 52.3% | −17.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 18.2% ±8.3 pts | 24.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±2.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.1% ±6.8 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 22.7% ±8.8 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.8% ±2.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0% ±3.8 pts | 12.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.2% ±4.9 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.4% ±7.6 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.1% ±3.8 pts | 39.7% | −7.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.6% ±2.2 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.1% ±5.8 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Elsmere earn?
Half of Elsmere's 2,238 households earn less than $67,944 a year (±$19,241), against $91,166 in New Castle County and $84,954 in Delaware. In 2015-2019 it was $75,411 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Elsmere | New Castle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,944 ±$19,241 | $91,166 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,988 ±$10,932 | $120,512 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,532 ±$4,141 | $47,777 | −$10,018 |
| People below the poverty line | 23.1% ±8.8 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 35.0% ±17.3 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.0% ±8.9 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.9% ±1.6 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.4% ±2.8 pts | 93.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Elsmere?
Owners occupy 65.7% of Elsmere's occupied homes and renters 34.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,800 by its owner (±$13,041). The median renter pays $1,339 a month including utilities, and 56.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Elsmere | New Castle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $225,800 ±$13,041 | $352,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,339 ±$123 | $1,448 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.8% ±18.7 pts | 38.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,457 ±$150 | $1,882 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.7% ±7.9 pts | 69.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.3% ±7.9 pts | 31.0% | – |
| Housing units | 2,301 ±228 | 236,079 | −437 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% ±4.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 36.6% ±6.9 pts | 53.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.0% ±5.2 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.6% ±3.9 pts | 7.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Elsmere building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Elsmere in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 6.1 across Delaware.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Elsmere work and get to work?
79.9% of Elsmere's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.8%.
| Measure | Elsmere | New Castle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.7% ±6.0 pts | 65.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±2.9 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 79.9% ±6.7 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±4.5 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.1% ±3.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9% ±4.5 pts | 17.6% | +5.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min ±2.7 | 25.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Elsmere?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Elsmere, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $60,125 (Tract 123) to $77,746 (Tract 124).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Elsmere) · Census block assignment files
How does Elsmere compare with other places in Delaware?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Elsmere is the 4,344th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 10th-most populous of 57 in Delaware.
Elsmere ranks 35th of 51 places in Delaware with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 10th | 57 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 30th | 31 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd | 51 |
| Median household income | 35th | 51 |
| Per capita income | 44th | 51 |
| Median home value | 45th | 50 |
| Median gross rent | 26th | 47 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 33 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49th | 50 |
| Median age | 40th | 51 |
| Owner-occupied share | 33rd | 50 |
| Work from home | 30th | 38 |
| Travel time to work | 29th | 51 |
Elsmere's figures with every place in Delaware (CSV)
Every place in Delaware, sortable · Compare Elsmere with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Elsmere?
15 of the 57 figures for Elsmere on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Elsmere are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Elsmere.