The Town FilesHockessin, Delaware
Community in New Castle County · population 13,478 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $568,800
- Household income
- $171,204
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 46.3
Hockessin is a community of 13,478 people in New Castle County, Delaware. The median home is worth $568,800, above the typical Delaware town ($302,450). It ranks better for families than 96% of Delaware towns, more of a college town than 96% of Delaware towns, more upscale than 96% of Delaware towns.
How Hockessin 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 Hockessin is worth $568,800, above the typical Delaware town ($302,450). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $171,204, which is more affordable than 80% of Delaware towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 90.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hockessin | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $568,800 | $302,450 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,342 |
| Median household income | $171,204 | $78,707 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.4% | 72.0% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1987 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hockessin
| People | Hockessin | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.5% | 17.5% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.3% | 32.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 8.4% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 22.1% | 13.8% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 25.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 93.0% |
Weather in Hockessin
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.0 inches of snow (typical Delaware town: 12.8 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hockessin 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 9.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 29, 2012.
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 Hockessin itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Hockessin
3 public schools with 1,979 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| duPont (H.B.) Middle School | 6-8 | 747 | 16.2 |
| North Star Elementary School | K-5 | 617 | 15.0 |
| William F. Cooke Jr. Elementary | K-5 | 615 | 15.0 |
Towns near Hockessin
- Pike Creek, DE2.5 mi · 7,808 people · home $422,500
- North Star, DE3.6 mi · 8,056 people · home $583,700
- Kennett, PA3.7 mi · 8,289 people · home $563,800
- Pike Creek Valley, DE3.9 mi · 11,692 people · home $340,300
- Greenville, DE4.1 mi · 3,104 people · home $1,062,500
- Kennett Square, PA4.4 mi · 5,936 people · home $402,700
- New Garden, PA4.5 mi · 11,363 people · home $546,700
- Elsmere, DE5.5 mi · 6,229 people · home $225,800
Hockessin questions
Is Hockessin, Delaware a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hockessin scores better for retirees than 91% of Delaware towns and quieter than 55%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
How much does a house cost in Hockessin?
The median owner-occupied home in Hockessin is valued at $568,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $171,204, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Hockessin?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.3 inches of precipitation a year and 12.0 inches of snow.
Does Hockessin get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hockessin 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)