Wilmington, DE Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 103, 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 18.

  • Wilmington ranks as the #3,487 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Wilmington is $173,800.

  • The median income in Wilmington is $49,354.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
Wilmington's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
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 103, 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 103.

The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 18 places we measured in Delaware. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #16 most expensive place in the First State.

For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:

2 out of 18
In Delaware
3,487 out of 6,412
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 108.

  • The Groceries index in Wilmington is 123.

  • The Health index in Wilmington is 115.

  • The Housing index in Wilmington is 93.

  • The Transportation index in Wilmington is 111.

  • The Utilities index in Wilmington is 87.

Living Expense Wilmington Delaware National Average
Overall 103 103 100
Services 108 105 100
Groceries 123 103 100
Health 115 104 100
Housing 93 101 100
Transportation 111 109 100
Utilities 87 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Delaware, check out:
Wilmington Cost of Living Vs. DE

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Wilmington is $173,800.

  • The Median Rent in Wilmington is $1,073.

  • The Median Income in Wilmington is $49,354.

  • The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.26x.

Statistic Wilmington Delaware United States
Median Home Value $173,800 $269,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,073 $1,199 $1,163
Median Income $49,354 $72,724 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Wilmington, DE
$173,800
Median Home Value
$1,073
Median Rent
$49,354
Median Income

Wilmington, DE Costs By Category

Detailed Wilmington Services Costs Vs. Delaware

Item Wilmington Delaware
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $12.88 $10.68
Bowling $16.5 $14.67
Haircut $21.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $40.11 $39.05

Detailed Wilmington Groceries Costs Vs. Delaware

Item Wilmington Delaware
Ground Beef $4.69 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.91 $1.39
Milk $2.54 $2.05
Potatoes $4.51 $3.29
Pizza $9.74 $10.62
Beer $8.74 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.86 $2.34

Detailed Wilmington Health Costs Vs. Delaware

Item Wilmington Delaware
Optometrist $102.08 $108.57
Doctor $109.17 $116.17
Dentist $133.33 $99.13

Detailed Wilmington Transportation Costs Vs. Delaware

Item Wilmington Delaware
Gasoline $2.16 $2.22
Tire Balancing $73.33 $50.07

Detailed Wilmington Utilities Costs Vs. Delaware

Item Wilmington Delaware
All Electricity $129.7 $167.67
Phone $176.59 $175.64

Wilmington SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
8

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 108, 1.0x Wilmington.

  • West Chester, PA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.2x Wilmington.

  • Broomall, PA has a cost of living index of 126, 1.2x Wilmington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Wilmington
Drexel Hill, PA 28,538 108 1.0x
West Chester, PA 18,592 124 1.2x
Broomall, PA 10,978 126 1.2x
Village Green-Green Ridge, PA 8,592 112 1.1x
Folsom, PA 8,430 111 1.1x
Wilmington Manor, DE 8,212 106 1.0x
Carneys Point, NJ 8,091 106 1.0x
Ridley Park, PA 7,131 112 1.1x
Edgemoor, DE 6,681 109 1.1x
Swarthmore, PA 6,560 131 1.3x

Articles About Delaware

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