County housing intelligence
Delaware Housing Market by County
Delaware is not one housing market. Across 3 counties, the median county home value is $329,800 and the median county rent is $1,285/mo. The useful question is not whether Delaware is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$329,800
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$1,285/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
3
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Delaware Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Sussex County, New Castle County, Kent County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Kent County, New Castle County, Sussex County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
New Castle County, Kent County, Sussex County lead on rent, while Sussex County, Kent County, New Castle County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
New Castle County, Kent County, Sussex County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Kent County
$290,600
- 2. New Castle County
$329,800
- 3. Sussex County
$353,300
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. New Castle County
3.7x home-value-to-income
- 2. Kent County
4.0x home-value-to-income
- 3. Sussex County
4.5x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Sussex County
$1,221/mo
- 2. Kent County
$1,285/mo
- 3. New Castle County
$1,379/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. New Castle County
28.0% rent burden
- 2. Kent County
31.0% rent burden
- 3. Sussex County
31.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Sussex County
0.33% effective tax rate
- 2. Kent County
0.46% effective tax rate
- 3. New Castle County
0.74% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Sussex County
$96/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Kent County
$-36/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. New Castle County
$-100/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. New Castle County
$89,901 income, 3.7x value-to-income
- 2. Kent County
$72,872 income, 4.0x value-to-income
- 3. Sussex County
$78,162 income, 4.5x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Kent County $290,600 home value, $72,872 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | New Castle County $329,800 home value, 0.74% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Kent County $1,285/mo rent, 31.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | New Castle County $329,800 home value, $89,901 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Delaware County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | $329,800 | $1,379/mo | $89,901 | 3.7x | 0.74% |
| Kent County | $290,600 | $1,285/mo | $72,872 | 4.0x | 0.46% |
| Sussex County | $353,300 | $1,221/mo | $78,162 | 4.5x | 0.33% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Delaware by county?
What is the typical rent in Delaware by county?
Which Delaware counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.