PlainCities

Ranking · Delaware

Fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking places in Delaware

Cheswold has the highest population change, 2020 to 2025 of Delaware's 31 ranked places (+37.7%); Newark has the lowest (−0.9%). Ranked: places with 1,000 or more residents in the 2020 Census that are incorporated (the Census Bureau estimates only those each year).

Which are the fastest-growing places?

Fastest-growing places in Delaware, first to fifth: Cheswold (+37.7%), Milford (+31.9%), Millville (+16.9%), Ocean View (+16.6%) and Selbyville (+16.5%).

Fastest-growing places in Delaware, by population change, 2020 to 2025.
RankPlaceTypePopulation change, 2020 to 2025ResidentsCounty
1 Cheswoldtown +37.7% 2,653Kent County
2 Milfordcity +31.9% 14,723Sussex County and 1 more
3 Millvilletown +16.9% 2,145Sussex County
4 Ocean Viewtown +16.6% 3,107Sussex County
5 Selbyvilletown +16.5% 3,381Sussex County
6 Millsborotown +16.5% 7,890Sussex County
7 Bridgevilletown +16.4% 2,997Sussex County
8 Miltontown +16.4% 3,860Sussex County
9 Rehoboth Beachcity +16.0% 1,309Sussex County
10 Bladestown +15.9% 1,372Sussex County
11 Laureltown +15.8% 4,557Sussex County
12 Georgetowntown +15.5% 8,291Sussex County
13 Seafordcity +15.5% 9,165Sussex County
14 Delmartown +15.0% 2,366Sussex County
15 Lewescity +14.7% 3,826Sussex County

Source: Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025) · Census population estimates

Which are the fastest-shrinking places?

Fastest-shrinking places in Delaware, first to fifth: Newark (−0.9%), Elsmere (−0.5%), Bellefonte (+2.3%), Dover (+2.8%) and Delaware City (+3.0%).

Fastest-shrinking places in Delaware, by population change, 2020 to 2025.
RankPlaceTypePopulation change, 2020 to 2025ResidentsCounty
31 Newarkcity −0.9% 30,359New Castle County
30 Elsmeretown −0.5% 6,196New Castle County
29 Bellefontetown +2.3% 1,313New Castle County
28 Dovercity +2.8% 40,592Kent County
27 Delaware Citycity +3.0% 1,939New Castle County
26 New Castlecity +3.3% 5,726New Castle County
25 Smyrnatown +3.5% 13,340Kent County and 1 more
24 Wilmingtoncity +3.7% 73,512New Castle County
23 Harringtoncity +5.0% 3,974Kent County
22 Feltontown +5.6% 1,386Kent County
21 Fredericatown +6.1% 1,155Kent County
20 Townsendtown +9.6% 2,985New Castle County
19 Wyomingtown +11.1% 1,865Kent County
18 Middletowntown +11.2% 25,798New Castle County
17 Camdentown +12.8% 4,176Kent County

Source: Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025) · Census population estimates

How is this ranking made?

Each place's population change, 2020 to 2025 is read from the Census Bureau's April 1, 2020 estimates base and its July 1, 2025 estimate. A place enters the ranking if it had 1,000 or more residents in the 2020 Census and is incorporated. Ties in the published figure share a rank. This is a measurement of one figure, not a judgment of a place.

Source: PlainCities ranking method applied to the Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025) · How ranks are computed

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections