Thinking of retiring in the Diamond State soon? Before you make any final decisions, read our Saturday Night Science based attempt to uncover the best spots to retire in Delaware.
If you like the idea of living your golden years near the sea but don’t fancy going as far south as Florida, Delaware is a wonderful option. Delaware is a happy middle ground on the Atlantic that everyone can get to during the holidays. Whether you’re into the more fun-and-friendly oceanside shores or the quieter bayside scene, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed by the wide variety of beaches Delaware has to offer.
What cities in Delaware have the most going on for retired folks? About half the cities on this list are in the southern part of the state, not super-close to the state’s biggest cities. Smyrna is the best Dover suburb to retire in, while New Castle tops the list of Wilmington suburbs. If you want to be near some of Delaware’s best beaches, you can’t go wrong retiring in Lewes or Rehoboth Beach.
The great thing about retiring in the second-smallest state in the country is that you’ll have no trouble visiting every corner with all your newfound free time.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Delaware For 2025
- Lewes
- Bridgeville
- Selbyville
- New Castle
- Townsend
- Wilmington
- Harrington
- Delmar
- Milford
- Smyrna
What is the best place to retire in Delaware? The best place to retire in Delaware is Lewes.
In order to make this list, we narrow it down to cities with 2,000 people. That left us with 20 cities. We then used data from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights.
The cities you see on the list above have low crime rates, low costs of living, good weather, a higher median age, and the easiest access to the best places in the state.
Why did Lewes take the top spot? And where are Wilmington and Dover?
For more Delaware state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Delaware
- Cheapest Places To Live In Delaware
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Delaware
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Delaware For 2025
/10
Population: 3,415
Median Income: $92,375
Median Home Price: $806,700
Median Rent: $1,271
Distance to Closest Airport: 55 miles
More on Lewes:
/10
Population: 2,661
Median Income: $69,631
Median Home Price: $397,400
Median Rent: $942
Distance to Closest Airport: 65 miles
More on Bridgeville:
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Population: 3,005
Median Income: $81,845
Median Home Price: $410,700
Median Rent: $988
Distance to Closest Airport: 76 miles
More on Selbyville:
/10
Population: 5,519
Median Income: $92,565
Median Home Price: $262,100
Median Rent: $1,675
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on New Castle: Data
/10
Population: 2,792
Median Income: $153,083
Median Home Price: $433,400
Median Rent: $1,208
Distance to Closest Airport: 40 miles
More on Townsend:
/10
Population: 71,124
Median Income: $55,269
Median Home Price: $224,500
Median Rent: $1,187
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Wilmington: Data
/10
Population: 3,805
Median Income: $72,606
Median Home Price: $222,100
Median Rent: $1,136
Distance to Closest Airport: 61 miles
More on Harrington:
/10
Population: 2,386
Median Income: $61,344
Median Home Price: $222,700
Median Rent: $875
Distance to Closest Airport: 77 miles
More on Delmar:
/10
Population: 12,193
Median Income: $55,265
Median Home Price: $274,600
Median Rent: $1,182
Distance to Closest Airport: 58 miles
More on Milford: Data
/10
Population: 13,031
Median Income: $70,473
Median Home Price: $273,400
Median Rent: $1,398
Distance to Closest Airport: 44 miles
More on Smyrna: Data
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the First State for 2025
To create our ranking of the best places in Delaware to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the First State — 77 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 2,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 20 places from across the state.
For these 20, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 20, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Lewes, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2025. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Delaware.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Delaware Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Delaware goes to Lewes.
The best places to retire in Delaware are Lewes, Bridgeville, Selbyville, New Castle, Townsend, Wilmington, Harrington, Delmar, Milford, and Smyrna.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Camden
- Laurel
- Newark
For more Delaware reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Delaware
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewes | 3,415 | $92,375 | $806,700 | $1,271 |
| 2 | Bridgeville | 2,661 | $69,631 | $397,400 | $942 |
| 3 | Selbyville | 3,005 | $81,845 | $410,700 | $988 |
| 4 | New Castle | 5,519 | $92,565 | $262,100 | $1,675 |
| 5 | Townsend | 2,792 | $153,083 | $433,400 | $1,208 |
| 6 | Wilmington | 71,124 | $55,269 | $224,500 | $1,187 |
| 7 | Harrington | 3,805 | $72,606 | $222,100 | $1,136 |
| 8 | Delmar | 2,386 | $61,344 | $222,700 | $875 |
| 9 | Milford | 12,193 | $55,265 | $274,600 | $1,182 |
| 10 | Smyrna | 13,031 | $70,473 | $273,400 | $1,398 |