The cheapest places to live in Delaware are not just a figment of your imagination.
They’re real, and they’re here.
You don’t have to sacrifice comfort for affordability if you live in one of Delaware’s most affordable places. The state has hip millennial cities like Smyrna, family-friendly cities like Wyoming, and retirement cities like Seaford for every budget.
We identified these budget-friendly havens in Delaware for you using Saturday Night Science. We analyzed the latest Delaware Census data on the cost of living, home prices, and rents to rank every city in the First State.
$58,671 median income · $1,224 median rent · #7 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Wilmington, the most affordable city in Delaware, has a slightly above-average overall cost of living index of 98, which is low for Delaware. It has a median home price of $325,758 that stands competitively within the state. The city’s utilities are relatively cheap for Connecticut.
Located where the Christina and Delaware Rivers meet, Wilmington’s median income is $58,671. Because housing is relatively affordable, you can spend more of that income on fun things like the Delaware Children’s Museum or planning a hike along Jack A. Markell Trail.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,199 median income · $1,344 median rent · #9 home prices in Delaware
Located in
Kent County, Delaware
Delaware’s capital, Dover has an overall cost of living index of 99, good for a second place finish in Delaware.
Dover has plenty of cheap options to do, including the Johnson Victrola Museum and the Delaware Governor’s Mansion, both of which are free to visit. Or have some outdoor fun at Dover Park. All are ways to save more of your $60,199 median income.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,078 median income · $1,155 median rent · #2 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Wilmington Manor ranks as the third cheapest in the state for 2026. The city’s overall cost of living index of 101 hovers slightly above the national average but low for Delaware. Housing is always the big differentiator within a state, and the city’s $275,385 median home value is a good deal for Delaware.
Located northeast of New Castle and south of Wilmington, some cheap things to do in town are Rogers Manor Park and Chelsea Manor Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,944 median income · $1,339 median rent · #1 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Elsmere, Delaware, is considered the first suburb in northern Delaware. It was conceived in the late 1800s as real-estate venture. Nowadays, it’s still a haven for commuters, sitting 45 minutes from downtown Philadelphia, just over the border in Pennsylvania. More than that, Elsmere offers great cost-of-living value. It’s the number 4 cheapest place in Delaware to call home.
The influence of Philly gives Elsmere an economic boost. The area sports a median income of $67,944 and an unemployment rate of 4.84%.
The 6,203 people living in the community also have access to affordable housing. The median home value sits at $239,941, the cheapest figure in the state. Rents are low as well, with a median value of $1,339 per month.
Proximity to a major metropolitan area gives Elsmere’s residents easy access to exciting activities. But if they want a break from big-city fun, they an also head down the Delaware River for something more outdoorsy. The Augustine Wildlife Area is one of a number of nature-focused attractions nearby.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,464 median income · $1,260 median rent · #10 home prices in Delaware
Located in
Sussex County, Delaware
Milford, straddling the line between Kent and Sussex counties, holds the fifth place title for affordability in the state. Its cost of living index is modest compared to the state’s average, and its $343,315 median home value and $1,260 median rent stand out.
This cost-conscious corner of Delaware delivers a firm fiscal footing for residents who can afford to visit Killens Pon Water Park and Abbott’s Mill Nature Center.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$74,712 median income · $1,306 median rent · #5 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Claymont is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 8,253 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,016 median income · $1,176 median rent · #4 home prices in Delaware
Located in
Sussex County, Delaware
Seaford comes in as the seventh cheapest place to call home in Delaware thanks to the low cost of homes and being an equally affordable place to buy or rent. The median home price in Seaford is $310,072 and the median rent is $1,176/month. If you move here, be ready for a big party every summer, because the Nanticoke Riverfest draws visitors from all around. The one big negative of Seaford is that it has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the the most dangerous cities in Delaware.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,048 median income · $1,534 median rent · #14 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Returning to the greater Dover area, Smyrna ranks as the eighth most affordable place in Delaware. The median home price in Smyrna is $400,874 and the median income is $67,048, giving the town the 19th best home price to income ratio in the state. To reward yourself for your smart financial planning, get yourself a cocktail from Painted Stave Distilling or a craft beer from Blue Earl Brewing. I realize it’s a weird segue from alcohol, but Smyrna is also one of the best places for families in Delaware. Parents like booze too, after all.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,328 median income · $1,444 median rent · #6 home prices in Delaware
Located in
New Castle County, Delaware
Next up we have Edgemoor which you’ll find in New Castle County. It secured the ninth spot as one of the least expensive places in Delaware. With living expenses just -1.0% of the state average, it’s a Delaware affordable gem.
Brookside is CDP located southwest of Wilmington. With only a 20 minute commute to the city, you’ll have plenty of cheap options to keep your weekends filled with fun.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,205 median income · $1,739 median rent · #3 home prices in Delaware
It’s no surprise that New Castle ranks highly in terms of cost of living, coming in at tenth place in Delaware.
But it’s not just the affordability that makes New Castle a great place to live. The city is located just south of Wilmington and sits on the Delaware River, offering residents beautiful waterfront views and easy access to nearby amenities. With a population of 5,579, New Castle maintains a small-town feel while still providing plenty of opportunities for entertainment and recreation.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Delaware’s statewide median.
Delaware statewide median: $402,891
Delaware statewide median: $84,954
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in Delaware
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the First State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Delaware boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Delaware using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Delaware to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 19 places in Delaware that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Delaware with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Wilmington.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Delaware.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In Delaware
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington | 71,727 | 98 | $58,671 | $325,758 | $1,224 |
| 2 | Dover | 39,837 | 99 | $60,199 | $339,650 | $1,344 |
| 3 | Wilmington Manor | 8,214 | 101 | $78,078 | $275,385 | $1,155 |
| 4 | Elsmere | 6,203 | 101 | $67,944 | $239,941 | $1,339 |
| 5 | Milford | 12,803 | 103 | $59,464 | $343,315 | $1,260 |
| 6 | Claymont | 8,786 | 103 | $74,712 | $320,060 | $1,306 |
| 7 | Seaford | 8,485 | 104 | $54,016 | $310,072 | $1,176 |
| 8 | Smyrna | 13,165 | 105 | $67,048 | $400,874 | $1,534 |
| 9 | Brookside | 15,115 | 106 | $78,328 | $320,138 | $1,444 |
| 10 | New Castle | 5,579 | 108 | $89,205 | $280,916 | $1,739 |
| 11 | Edgemoor | 6,349 | 109 | $59,424 | $332,385 | $1,438 |
| 12 | Bear | 22,370 | 110 | $91,687 | $414,666 | $1,771 |
| 13 | Pike Creek Valley | 12,431 | 110 | $102,434 | $389,500 | $1,751 |
| 14 | Millsboro | 7,424 | 112 | $78,707 | $396,649 | $1,277 |
| 15 | Newark | 30,330 | 114 | $76,912 | $364,096 | $1,654 |
| 16 | Glasgow | 15,546 | 116 | $113,982 | $427,957 | $2,039 |
| 17 | Pike Creek | 7,129 | 127 | $139,635 | $483,584 | $2,262 |
| 18 | North Star | 7,834 | 136 | $150,733 | $668,090 | |
| 19 | Hockessin | 13,439 | 143 | $171,204 | $600,793 | $3,501 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 19 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Delaware Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Delaware for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Delaware.
The cheapest cities in Delaware are Wilmington, Dover, Wilmington Manor, Elsmere, Milford, Claymont, Seaford, Smyrna, Brookside, and New Castle.
