Wilmington, DE Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Wilmington, DE Summary
Cost of living in Wilmington research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Wilmington is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Delaware, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Wilmington is 101, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wilmington is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Wilmington ranks as the #2 cheapest in Delaware out of 19.
Wilmington ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wilmington is $318,708.
The median income in Wilmington is $55,269.
Table Of Contents
Wilmington's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Wilmington, DE?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmington has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Delaware, Wilmington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Delaware's index of 106.
The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in Delaware. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the First State.
For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:
In Delaware
In America
Wilmington Cost Of Living Vs. Delaware
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wilmington is 106.
The Groceries index in Wilmington is 107.
The Health index in Wilmington is 107.
The Housing index in Wilmington is 99.
The Transportation index in Wilmington is 109.
The Utilities index in Wilmington is 93.
| Living Expense | Wilmington | Delaware | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 101 | 106 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 103 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 103 | 100 | |
| Housing | 99 | 123 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 100 | 100 | |
Wilmington, DE Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Delaware, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Wilmington is $318,708.
The Median Rent in Wilmington is $1,187.
The Median Income in Wilmington is $55,269.
The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 5.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Wilmington | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $318,708 | $398,669 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,187 | $1,341 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $55,269 | $82,855 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.8x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Wilmington, DE Costs By Category
Detailed Wilmington Services Costs Vs. Delaware
| Item | Wilmington | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.71 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.14 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $47.42 | $45.56 |
Detailed Wilmington Groceries Costs Vs. Delaware
| Item | Wilmington | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.73 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.52 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.81 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.4 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.33 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.96 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.61 | $3.7 |
Detailed Wilmington Health Costs Vs. Delaware
| Item | Wilmington | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $113.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $149.53 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $132.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wilmington Transportation Costs Vs. Delaware
| Item | Wilmington | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.5 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $74.86 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wilmington Utilities Costs Vs. Delaware
| Item | Wilmington | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $173.73 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.79 | $192.25 |
Wilmington SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wilmington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wilmington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Drexel Hill, PA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Wilmington.
West Chester, PA has a cost of living index of 131, 1.3x Wilmington.
Broomall, PA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.3x Wilmington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drexel Hill, PA | 30,015 | 103 | 1.0x |
| West Chester, PA | 19,235 | 131 | 1.3x |
| Broomall, PA | 10,684 | 127 | 1.3x |
| Village Green-Green Ridge, PA | 8,725 | 114 | 1.1x |
| Folsom, PA | 8,298 | 110 | 1.1x |
| Wilmington Manor, DE | 8,030 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Carneys Point, NJ | 7,945 | 98 | 1.0x |
| Ridley Park, PA | 7,245 | 108 | 1.1x |
| Edgemoor, DE | 6,671 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Swarthmore, PA | 6,524 | 134 | 1.3x |
