It’s that time of year again, HomeSnacks has ranked the best places for families in Delaware; and this year, The First State’s most family friendly places really brought their A-game. But, before we let you in on Delaware’s top ten best places for families, we should tell you a little bit about how we determined the state’s most family friendly places for 2026.
First, we consulted the US Census on places in Delaware with more than 2,000 residents. We looked at several factors including crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We then entered it into our snackability formula and ended up with 22 family friendly Delaware places that any family would be lucky to call home. Are we at all surprised that some of Delaware’s best places to raise a family are also Delaware’s safest? Not at all. These two qualities usually go hand-in-hand. And in true Delaware fashion, the most family friendly places in this state are super safe, schools are top notch, unemployment is low, and there are a ton of safe activities for everyone.
And speaking of education, we know that Delaware is pretty tiny–it’s one of the least populated states in the country, and surprisingly, this state has 33 Blue Ribbon schools: five of which have been recognized nationally. Not to mention, universities, like the University of Delaware in Newark offer competitive degrees in engineering, business, and medicine. And, folks, educating the future of Delaware is a good thing because The Small Wonder has a lot to offer.
More importantly, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
$96,393 median income · 6.9% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$153,000 median income · 48.5% households with kids
$89,205 median income · 22.3% households with kids
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 5,285.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$107,307 median income · 53.8% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$64,879 median income · 22.4% households with kids
$72,679 median income · 31.4% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$76,912 median income · 19.0% households with kids
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Newark is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located 12 miles west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is home to the University of Delaware, which is often regarded as a top ten ranked University in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,048 median income · 40.5% households with kids
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Smyrna is a town in Kent and New Castle counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the Census Bureau, as of 2010, the population of the town is 10,023.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,592 median income · 23.4% households with kids
$91,500 median income · 7.7% households with kids
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Delaware’s statewide median.
Delaware statewide median: $84,954
Delaware statewide median: $402,891
On the map
Where Delaware’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Delaware anyways?
To give you the places in Delaware that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Delaware, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 2,000 people. For Delaware, that meant a total of 22 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Delaware.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Delaware
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewes | 3,505 | $96,393 | $588,290 | 6.9% |
| 2 | Townsend | 2,832 | $153,000 | $497,294 | 48.5% |
| 3 | New Castle | 5,579 | $89,205 | $280,916 | 22.3% |
| 4 | Clayton | 4,222 | $107,307 | $405,885 | 53.8% |
| 5 | Bridgeville | 2,745 | $64,879 | $356,953 | 22.4% |
| 6 | Harrington | 3,838 | $72,679 | $275,984 | 31.4% |
| 7 | Newark | 30,330 | $76,912 | $364,096 | 19.0% |
| 8 | Smyrna | 13,165 | $67,048 | $400,874 | 40.5% |
| 9 | Selbyville | 3,097 | $75,592 | $531,432 | 23.4% |
| 10 | Ocean View | 2,851 | $91,500 | $532,880 | 7.7% |
| 11 | Cheswold | 2,143 | $86,875 | $360,084 | 30.3% |
| 12 | Elsmere | 6,203 | $67,944 | $239,941 | 38.4% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 2,000 | $69,603 | $302,796 | 25.7% |
| 14 | Millsboro | 7,424 | $78,707 | $396,649 | 25.5% |
| 15 | Milton | 3,567 | $80,875 | $477,517 | 22.3% |
| 16 | Delmar | 2,412 | $61,250 | $334,952 | 36.9% |
| 17 | Dover | 39,837 | $60,199 | $339,650 | 27.7% |
| 18 | Wilmington | 71,727 | $58,671 | $325,758 | 23.6% |
| 19 | Camden | 4,106 | $63,267 | $403,644 | 24.1% |
| 20 | Milford | 12,803 | $59,464 | $343,315 | 25.3% |
| 21 | Laurel | 4,152 | $48,644 | $305,530 | 41.7% |
| 22 | Seaford | 8,485 | $54,016 | $310,072 | 42.1% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 22 Delaware cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Delaware
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Delaware ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Delaware are Lewes, Townsend, New Castle, Clayton, Bridgeville, Harrington, Newark, Smyrna, Selbyville, and Ocean View.
