The Town FilesBrookside, Delaware
Community in New Castle County · population 14,974 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $279,700
- Household income
- $78,328
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 36.1
Brookside is a community of 14,974 people in New Castle County, Delaware. The median home is worth $279,700, below the typical Delaware town ($302,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Delaware towns, more vibrant than 89% of Delaware towns, better transit than 84% of Delaware towns.
How Brookside ranks
Percentile among Delaware towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Delaware towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brookside is worth $279,700, below the typical Delaware town ($302,450). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $78,328, which is more affordable than 60% of Delaware towns. Median rent is $1,444 a month. 61.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brookside | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $279,700 | $302,450 |
| Median rent | $1,444 | $1,342 |
| Median household income | $78,328 | $78,707 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 61.8% | 72.0% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1987 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brookside
| People | Brookside | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 17.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 32.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 8.4% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 13.8% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 25.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 93.0% |
Weather in Brookside
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 47.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.2 inches of snow (typical Delaware town: 12.8 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 97 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brookside since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical Delaware town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 28, 1961 about 7.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in New Castle County since 1996
New Castle County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4627: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| October 2, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4566: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4526: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3449: Covid-19 |
| November 16, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4090: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in New Castle County
New Castle County had 303,806 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,334 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Brookside itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Towns near Brookside
- Newark, DE2.8 mi · 30,601 people · home $382,500
- Bear, DE3.5 mi · 23,060 people · home $304,800
- Pike Creek Valley, DE4.4 mi · 11,692 people · home $340,300
- Glasgow, DE5.0 mi · 15,288 people · home $373,900
- Pike Creek, DE5.7 mi · 7,808 people · home $422,500
- North Star, DE6.1 mi · 8,056 people · home $583,700
- Wilmington Manor, DE6.6 mi · 8,162 people · home $240,600
- Elkton, MD7.4 mi · 15,807 people · home $293,400
Brookside questions
Is Brookside, Delaware a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brookside scores better for retirees than 27% of Delaware towns and quieter than 9%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Brookside?
The median owner-occupied home in Brookside is valued at $279,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,328, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,444 a month.
What is the weather like in Brookside?
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.0 inches of precipitation a year and 20.2 inches of snow.
Does Brookside get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brookside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 28, 1961. The typical Delaware town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)