Census-designated place · Delaware
Highland Acres, Delaware
Highland Acres, census-designated place, in Kent County, Delaware. Highland Acres had 3,492 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,752 (±994). GEOID 1034810.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,492
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,752 ±994
Median household income
$102,356
±$22,614 (90% margin)
Delaware: $84,954
Median home value
$306,400
±$37,146 (90% margin)
Delaware: $352,000
Median gross rent
$1,583
±$209 (90% margin)
Delaware: $1,401
Where is Highland Acres and what county is it in?
Highland Acres is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Kent County, Delaware. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 2,340 residents per square mile in 2020.
Highland Acres is in the Dover, DE metropolitan statistical area (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 Highland Acres, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,492 residents in Highland Acres, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,752 (±994).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Highland Acres is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Highland Acres | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,752 ±994 | 187,604 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,247 ±255 | 71,424 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.00 ±0.33 | 2.57 | +0.44 |
| Housing units | 1,317 ±251 | 76,325 | no clear change |
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 Highland Acres?
The median resident of Highland Acres is 45.1 years old; 23.8% are under 18 and 24.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 70.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 15.0%.
| Measure | Highland Acres | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 ±8.4 | 38.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.8% ±7.9 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.7% ±7.6 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±8.3 pts | 48.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.5% ±2.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 70.8% ±10.5 pts | 56.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 15.0% ±7.2 pts | 26.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.5% ±4.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±4.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.0% ±2.2 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.0% ±4.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 17.6% ±4.2 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 23.3% ±5.6 pts | 16.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.1% ±1.5 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±2.0 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.3% ±6.5 pts | 27.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.6% ±4.5 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2% ±2.8 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 Highland Acres earn?
Half of Highland Acres's 1,247 households earn less than $102,356 a year (±$22,614), against $74,477 in Kent County and $84,954 in Delaware. In 2015-2019 it was $107,384 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Highland Acres | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,356 ±$22,614 | $74,477 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $142,212 ±$28,003 | $92,801 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,639 ±$10,130 | $36,191 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.2% ±4.5 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.4% ±3.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.5% ±7.5 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.2% ±2.8 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7% ±3.8 pts | 91.1% | – |
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 Highland Acres?
Owners occupy 82.3% of Highland Acres's occupied homes and renters 17.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $306,400 by its owner (±$37,146). The median renter pays $1,583 a month including utilities, and 34.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Highland Acres | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $306,400 ±$37,146 | $316,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,583 ±$209 | $1,354 | +$392 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.0% ±20.5 pts | 42.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,744 ±$330 | $1,741 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.3% ±7.7 pts | 72.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.7% ±7.7 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,317 ±251 | 76,325 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.1% ±5.4 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.6% ±4.9 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.8 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7% ±2.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 do people in Highland Acres work and get to work?
75.7% of Highland Acres's workers drive alone and 8.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.7 minutes.
| Measure | Highland Acres | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.2% ±6.8 pts | 62.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% ±3.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.7% ±13.3 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±5.1 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.9% ±5.4 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.7 min ±3.0 | 26.5 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 Highland Acres?
No census tract lies mostly in Highland Acres; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 417.02Kent County | 4,540 | $98,447 |
| Tract 416Kent County | 2,318 | $87,639 |
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 Highland Acres) · Census block assignment files
How does Highland Acres compare with other places in Delaware?
Highland Acres ranks 13th of 51 places in Delaware with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 27th | 51 |
| Residents per square mile | 16th | 51 |
| Median household income | 13th | 51 |
| Per capita income | 13th | 51 |
| Median home value | 24th | 50 |
| Median gross rent | 15th | 47 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19th | 50 |
| Median age | 18th | 51 |
| Owner-occupied share | 17th | 50 |
| Work from home | 32nd | 38 |
| Travel time to work | 42nd | 51 |
Highland Acres's figures with every place in Delaware (CSV)
Every place in Delaware, sortable · Compare Highland Acres 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 Highland Acres?
22 of the 57 figures for Highland Acres 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 Highland Acres 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' school search.