The Town FilesSelbyville, Delaware
Town in Sussex County · population 2,878 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $432,900
- Household income
- $75,592
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 50.3
Selbyville is a town of 2,878 people in Sussex County, Delaware. The median home is worth $432,900, above the typical Delaware town ($302,450). It ranks better for a vacation home than 91% of Delaware towns, better for cycling than 91% of Delaware towns, better for families than 89% of Delaware towns.
How Selbyville 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 Selbyville is worth $432,900, above the typical Delaware town ($302,450). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $75,592, which is more affordable than 11% of Delaware towns. Median rent is $1,152 a month. 84.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Selbyville | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $432,900 | $302,450 |
| Median rent | $1,152 | $1,342 |
| Median household income | $75,592 | $78,707 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.0% | 72.0% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1987 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Selbyville
| People | Selbyville | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 17.5% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 32.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 8.4% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 13.8% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 25.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 93.0% |
Weather in Selbyville
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 42.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.5 inches of snow (typical Delaware town: 12.8 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 81 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Selbyville since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical Delaware town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 12, 1955 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 30, 1976.
Severe weather in Sussex County since 1996
Sussex County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4916: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4526: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3449: Covid-19 |
| March 16, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4265: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 16, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4090: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Sussex County
Sussex County had 94,273 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,078 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Selbyville itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Selbyville
4 public schools with 1,605 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selbyville Middle School | 6-8 | 749 | 13.6 |
| Southern Delaware School of the Arts | K-8 | 419 | 13.1 |
| Showell (Phillip C.) Elementary School | K-5 | 301 | 12.5 |
| Indian River Intensive Learning Center | 12-12 | 136 | — |
Towns near Selbyville
- Ocean Pines, MD6.1 mi · 12,145 people · home $380,100
- Ocean View, DE7.9 mi · 2,636 people · home $514,200
- Ocean City, MD8.6 mi · 6,844 people · home $429,000
- Berlin, MD8.9 mi · 5,026 people · home $423,500
- West Ocean City, MD9.4 mi · 4,952 people · home $423,700
- Millsboro, DE10.5 mi · 6,863 people · home $332,600
- Long Neck, DE11.4 mi · 3,017 people · home $187,600
- Georgetown, DE18.6 mi · 7,134 people · home $281,400
Selbyville questions
Is Selbyville, Delaware a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Selbyville scores better for retirees than 68% of Delaware towns and quieter than 89%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.3).
How much does a house cost in Selbyville?
The median owner-occupied home in Selbyville is valued at $432,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,592, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $1,152 a month.
What is the weather like in Selbyville?
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.6 inches of precipitation a year and 9.5 inches of snow.
Does Selbyville get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Selbyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 12, 1955. 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)