The Town FilesWilmington, Delaware
City in New Castle County · population 70,898 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,400
- Household income
- $58,671
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 37.0
Wilmington is a city of 70,898 people in New Castle County, Delaware. The median home is worth $231,400, below the typical Delaware town ($302,450). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Delaware towns, more vibrant than 98% of Delaware towns, better transit than 98% of Delaware towns.
How Wilmington 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 Wilmington is worth $231,400, below the typical Delaware town ($302,450). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $58,671, which is more affordable than 49% of Delaware towns. Median rent is $1,224 a month. 48.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wilmington | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,400 | $302,450 |
| Median rent | $1,224 | $1,342 |
| Median household income | $58,671 | $78,707 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 48.0% | 72.0% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1987 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Wilmington
| People | Wilmington | Typical Delaware town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 32.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 8.4% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.6% | — |
| Work from home | 16.0% | 13.8% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 25.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 93.0% |
Weather in Wilmington
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 Wilmington since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical Delaware town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 28, 1961 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2014.
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 Wilmington itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Wilmington
53 public schools with 31,253 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odyssey Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 2,192 | 12.4 |
| Delcastle Technical High School | 9-12 | 1,598 | 13.0 |
| Conrad Schools of Science | 6-12 | 1,163 | 18.5 |
| Mount Pleasant High School | 9-12 | 1,074 | 14.9 |
| Dickinson (John) School | 6-12 | 1,032 | 16.6 |
| Concord High School | 9-12 | 1,015 | 13.7 |
| Charter School of Wilmington (charter) | 9-12 | 971 | 18.7 |
| Brandywine High School | 9-12 | 941 | 13.8 |
| Calloway (Cab) School of the Arts | 6-12 | 934 | 20.3 |
| Brandywine Springs School | K-8 | 932 | 15.5 |
| Howard High School of Technology | 9-12 | 902 | 13.9 |
| Talley Middle School | 6-8 | 880 | 13.8 |
Towns near Wilmington
- Edgemoor, DE1.9 mi · 6,635 people · home $290,400
- Elsmere, DE3.3 mi · 6,229 people · home $225,800
- Penns Grove, NJ3.4 mi · 4,837 people · home $178,200
- Carneys Point, NJ4.0 mi · 7,841 people · home $193,300
- Wilmington Manor, DE4.4 mi · 8,162 people · home $240,600
- Greenville, DE4.7 mi · 3,104 people · home $1,062,500
- New Castle, DE4.9 mi · 5,551 people · home $285,100
- Carneys Point, NJ5.4 mi · 8,637 people · home $201,500
Wilmington questions
Is Wilmington, Delaware a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wilmington scores better for retirees than 7% of Delaware towns and quieter than 4%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Wilmington?
The median owner-occupied home in Wilmington is valued at $231,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,671, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,224 a month.
What is the weather like in Wilmington?
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 Wilmington get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmington 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)