Housing decision brief
New Castle County, DE Housing Market
New Castle County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
2nd lowest home value out of 3 Delaware counties with data | 3rd lowest rent out of 3
Median home value
$329,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,379/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,479/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$100/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.74% effective property-tax rate is 62% above Delaware county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where New Castle County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $329,800 | $329,800 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Delaware county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,379 | $1,285 | $1,163 | 7% pressure7% above Delaware county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,479 | $1,321 | $1,672 | 12% pressure12% above Delaware county median |
Median household income | $89,901 | $78,162 | $74,755 | 15% favorable15% above Delaware county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.74% | 0.46% | 1.02% | 62% pressure62% above Delaware county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 31.00% | N/A | 10% favorable28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$34,741
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,515
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
New Castle County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,379/month representing approximately 18.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 28.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in New Castle County pay $1,379/month on average, compared to $1,479/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 7%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $55,160/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $63,386/year. With a median household income of $89,901, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in New Castle County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Kent County where rent averages $1,285/month, New Castle County is approximately 7% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County, DE | $353,300 | $1,221/mo | Same-state comparison near $353,300 home value and $1,221/mo rent. |
| Chugach Census Area, AK | $330,900 | $1,397/mo | Out-of-state peer near $330,900 home value and $1,397/mo rent. |
| Kent County, DE | $290,600 | $1,285/mo | Same-state comparison near $290,600 home value and $1,285/mo rent. |
| Strafford County, NH | $332,400 | $1,413/mo | Out-of-state peer near $332,400 home value and $1,413/mo rent. |
| Suffolk city, VA | $329,600 | $1,484/mo | Out-of-state peer near $329,600 home value and $1,484/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for New Castle County
Is New Castle County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in New Castle County?
How much income do you need for housing in New Castle County?
What should I double-check before moving to New Castle County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.