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 2026
- Lewes
- Bridgeville
- Cheswold
- Townsend
- New Castle
- Selbyville
- Wilmington
- Milton
- Clayton
- Delmar
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 22 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 2026
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Population: 2,745
Median Income: $64,879
Median Home Price: $356,953
Median Rent: $1,140
Distance to Closest Airport: 65 miles
More on Bridgeville: Crime | Movers
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Population: 2,143
Median Income: $86,875
Median Home Price: $360,084
Median Rent: $880
Distance to Closest Airport: 48 miles
More on Cheswold: Movers
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Population: 2,832
Median Income: $153,000
Median Home Price: $497,294
Median Rent: $1,193
Distance to Closest Airport: 40 miles
More on Townsend: Movers
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Population: 5,579
Median Income: $89,205
Median Home Price: $280,916
Median Rent: $1,739
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on New Castle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 3,097
Median Income: $75,592
Median Home Price: $531,432
Median Rent: $1,152
Distance to Closest Airport: 76 miles
More on Selbyville: Crime | Movers
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Population: 71,727
Median Income: $58,671
Median Home Price: $325,757
Median Rent: $1,224
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Wilmington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 2,412
Median Income: $61,250
Median Home Price: $334,951
Median Rent: $906
Distance to Closest Airport: 77 miles
More on Delmar: Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the First State for 2026
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 22 places from across the state.
For these 22, 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 22, 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 2026. This list reflects our eleventh 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, Cheswold, Townsend, New Castle, Selbyville, Wilmington, Milton, Clayton, and Delmar.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Camden
- Dover
- Laurel
For more Delaware reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Delaware
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewes | 3,505 | $96,393 | $588,290 | $381 |
| 2 | Bridgeville | 2,745 | $64,879 | $356,953 | $1,140 |
| 3 | Cheswold | 2,143 | $86,875 | $360,084 | $880 |
| 4 | Townsend | 2,832 | $153,000 | $497,294 | $1,193 |
| 5 | New Castle | 5,579 | $89,205 | $280,916 | $1,739 |
| 6 | Selbyville | 3,097 | $75,592 | $531,432 | $1,152 |
| 7 | Wilmington | 71,727 | $58,671 | $325,757 | $1,224 |
| 8 | Milton | 3,567 | $80,875 | $477,517 | $1,310 |
| 9 | Clayton | 4,222 | $107,307 | $405,885 | $1,621 |
| 10 | Delmar | 2,412 | $61,250 | $334,951 | $906 |