Housing decision brief
Sussex County, DE Housing Market
Sussex County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
3rd lowest home value out of 3 Delaware counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 3
Median home value
$353,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,221/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,125/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$96/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$1,221/mo is 5% below Delaware county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $96/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
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 Sussex 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. | $353,300 | $329,800 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above Delaware county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,221 | $1,285 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Delaware county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,125 | $1,321 | $1,672 | 15% favorable15% below Delaware county median |
Median household income | $78,162 | $78,162 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Delaware county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.33% | 0.46% | 1.02% | 28% favorable28% below Delaware county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 31.00% | N/A | Near state median31.00% 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
+$29,322
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,948
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Sussex County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,221/month , about 18.7% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Sussex County is $1,221/month, while owner costs run $1,125/month. Owning saves approximately $96/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $48,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $48,214/year. With a median household income of $78,162, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Sussex County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Kent County where rent averages $1,285/month, Sussex County is approximately 5% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, DE | $290,600 | $1,285/mo | Same-state comparison near $290,600 home value and $1,285/mo rent. |
| New Castle County, DE | $329,800 | $1,379/mo | Same-state comparison near $329,800 home value and $1,379/mo rent. |
| Providence County, RI | $339,100 | $1,242/mo | Out-of-state peer near $339,100 home value and $1,242/mo rent. |
| Sumter County, FL | $356,000 | $1,225/mo | Out-of-state peer near $356,000 home value and $1,225/mo rent. |
| Mason County, WA | $377,400 | $1,205/mo | Out-of-state peer near $377,400 home value and $1,205/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Sussex County
Is Sussex County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Sussex County?
How much income do you need for housing in Sussex County?
What should I double-check before moving to Sussex County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.