City profile · Delaware · Census ACS 2023

Lewes, DE

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

3,415
Residents
$92,375
Median income
$806,700
Median home
$1,399
Median rent (state)

Lewes - the verdict

Lewes ranks in the 73rd percentile for household income and the 76th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

73rd
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
54th
percentile, median rent
76th
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: Lewes, DE

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,415 residents in Lewes, a small town within Delaware. The typical household in Lewes brings in $92,375 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.5%. Lewes's housing stock carries a median value of $806,700, and the median resident age is 67.3 years. Educational attainment runs 65.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 39.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Lewes reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 702.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 58.5°F with 47.3 inches of precipitation per year and 10.5 inches of snowfall.

Delaware tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 99.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,399 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $243 across Delaware, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.2 minutes, with 62.6% driving alone and 29.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

3,415 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Delaware

Median Household Income

$92,375 /yr

Poverty 2.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

99.8 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Delaware average

How does Lewes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lewes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% pricier than other cities
Safety 76% 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, Lewes ranks #4 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lewes's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Delaware, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

73rdIncome percentile
76thSafety percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income · 76th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lewes's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lewes'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 58 Avg. percentile National median
Lewes'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 Lewes's home value compares nationally

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

$806,700 5th percentile more affordable than 5% 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%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Lewes $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 - Lewes, DE Lewes, DE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lewes, 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 Lewes, DE median $92,375/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%
Lewes, 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 Lewes, DE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 65.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.1%

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

Population
3,415
Median Income
$92,375
Median Home Value
$806,700
Median Age
67.3
Poverty Rate
2.5%
Labor force participation
39.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
65.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
702.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
162.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
540.0
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.5°F
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Annual Snowfall
10.5"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,200 residents3,400 residents3,600 residents3,800 residents4,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,355 residents 3,826 residents ▲ +14.0%
Lewes's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
62.6%
Carpool
3.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.8%
Work from Home
29.3%

Based on 1,201 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 Lewes 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

Milton
3,469 people
Highland Acres
3,661 people
Greenville
3,100 people
Dover Base Housing
3,026 people
Harrington
3,805 people
Selbyville
3,005 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lewes's 3,415 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Avon, NY
3,415 people
Tomahawk, WI
3,416 people
Windsor, NC
3,417 people
Dahlgren, VA
3,417 people
Forks, WA
3,413 people
Jewett City, CT
3,412 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lewes's $92,375 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Moreland, GA
$92,375 median income
Whittier, CA
$92,374 median income
Royal Palm Beach, FL
$92,382 median income
Combine, TX
$92,360 median income
Ferndale, MD
$92,391 median income
Thurmont, MD
$92,391 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lewes, 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 Lewes, DE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.4% White 93.8% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 3.5% 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 Lewes 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
Lewes (this city) 3,415 $92,375
Milton 3,469 $64,906
Highland Acres 3,661 $101,685
Greenville 3,100 $139,541
Census ACS 5-year FIPS DE FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lewes, DE?

What is the population of Lewes, DE? +

The population of Lewes, DE stands at 3,415 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Lewes, the typical household earns $92,375 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lewes? +

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

Lewes has a total crime rate of 702.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Lewes, DE? +

The median home value in Lewes is $806,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lewes? +

The average annual temperature in Lewes runs 58.5°F, 47.3 inches of precipitation, and 10.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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 Editorial

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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.