Delaware
Ranked #28 of 51 for housing affordability
Median Home Price
🏠$360K
4.42x income
Median Rent
🔑$1,358
31.5% rent-burdened
Median Income
💰$81K
Population: 1,018,396
Homeownership
🏡74.0%
1,165 experiencing homelessness
Housing Shortage
📉18,000
units needed
Building Permits (2024)
🔨7,141
Price-to-Income
📊4.42x
Severe Rent Burden
⚠️14.9%
paying >50% of income
Rent Burden Breakdown
vs. National Average
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI · Base = 100 (1980s)
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Maximum rent HUD considers fair for Section 8 voucher holders
FMR ($1648) is above the state median rent ($1358) — vouchers cover typical rents.
Metros in Delaware
| Metro | Score | Home Price | Rent | Income | Rent Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 50 | $370K | $1,426 | $77K | 31.5% |
| Dover | 75 | $325K | $1,320 | $73K | 21.3% |
Market Trends
Homeownership Rate
74.0%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
20.0%
of gross income spent on rent
Total Households
412,048
Owner-Occupied
303,131
Renter-Occupied
108,917
Homelessness
Latest Count (2024)
1,358
1-Year Change
+9.1%
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
+42.5%
953 → 1,358
Housing Policies
Construction Activity
Total Permits (2024)
7,141
0.5% of national total
Single-Family
6,236
87% of state permits
Multi-Family
905
13% of state permits
Mortgage Access
National HMDA data — mortgage denial rates by race/ethnicity
Denial Rates by Race
Top Denial Reasons
Housing Shortage
State Shortage
18,000
units needed
National Shortage
7,300,000
0.2% of national total
Affordable Units per 100 ELI Renters
35
nationally (NLIHC)
National Shortage by Unit Type
45%
Single-Family
18%
Small Multi (2-4)
22%
Medium Multi (5-49)
15%
Large Multi (50+)
Rent Burden Detail
Delaware burden rates with national demographic breakdown
Cost-Burdened Renters
31.5%
paying >30% of income
Severely Burdened
14.9%
paying >50% of income
Households >30% Burden
26,244
Households >35% Burden
8,629