DE
Delaware
Population 1,021,191
6 Sources
Updated September 10, 2026
1M
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$84,954
Median Income
$80,734 national
$111B
GDP (current $), change real
3.9%
Unemployment
4.0% national
County Map
Click a county to view its economic profile
Demographics & Population
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 · 5-Year Estimates
Household Income
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$84,954
Per Capita
$45,375
Mean Household
$112,616
Poverty Rate
10.4%
Age & Race / Ethnicity
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B01001, B02001, B03003
Cohorts
Under 18 · 20.7%
18-34 · 21.1%
35-54 · 23.6%
55-64 · 14%
65+ · 20.6%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.
Educational Attainment
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
91.7%
High School+
National: 89.6%
+2.1 pts
35.8%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
+0.1 pts
15.3%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
+1.2 pts
Employment Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
1,021,191
Population
514,286
Labor Force
Employed
487,985
Unemployment Rate BLS LAUS 2024 annual
3.9%
2025 is not shown for Delaware: a state annual average needs all 12 months and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has published 11. County pages draw on the separate annual series and may show 2025.
Mean Commute
26.0 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
15%
Labor Force and Employed are ACS 5-Year survey estimates; the Unemployment Rate above comes from BLS LAUS, a separate monthly survey with its own methodology. The two won't reconcile by subtracting one from the other.
Delaware's median household income sits 5% above the national median. At 10.4%, its poverty rate runs 2.1 pts below the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 35.8% exceeds the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release, older news reports may cite prior vintages.
Key Takeaways
- Income near the national median: Median household income tracks the national median, indicating a broad-based consumer market.
- Aging population: Median age of 42 is materially above the U.S. norm; succession planning and senior-services demand are real factors.
Economy & Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis
$111B
Gross Domestic Product · 2024
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · CAGDP2 Regional GDP
99.808
Cost of Living - Below Avg
Key Takeaways
- Largest private-sector industry: Health Care and Social Assistance employs 82,872 workers (24.1% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $72,452. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 69,064 and is counted separately.
- Economic scale: State GDP of $111B (2024).
- Wage stratification: Management of Companies and Enterprises averages $180,245 while Accommodation and Food Services averages $28,287, a 6.4x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.
Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries
LQ < 0.5, below-average employment, screened against industrial power cost. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.14x
Air Transportation
248 employed
0.21x
Machinery Manufacturing
704 employed
0.24x
Water Transportation
52 employed
0.26x
Wood Product Manufacturing
324 employed
0.28x
Printing and Related Support Activities
298 employed
0.28x
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
1,235 employed
0.28x
Miscellaneous Manufacturing
535 employed
0.33x
Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
372 employed
Screened on industrial power cost only.
Industrial electricity in Delaware costs 9.64¢/kWh against 8.62¢/kWh nationally (2025).
Land area and freight access are not assessed at state level.
Source: EIA.
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Credit Intermediation and Related Activities concentrates at 3.28x the national norm, strong concentration that anchors the local economy.
- Cluster depth: 6 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
- Attraction whitespace: 8 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Housing & Affordability
Census ACS · HUD Fair Market Rents FY2026
Housing Overview
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$352,000
Median Home Value vs 2019
$1,401
Rent/Mo
73%
Owner-Occ
13.4%
Vacancy
4.1x
Home Value to Income Ratio
vs. ~4.1x national average
HUD Fair Market Rents (Statewide)
Renter-household-weighted average across 3 Fair Market Rent areas · Source: HUD · Fair Market Rents FY2026 · Affordability threshold and renter cost burden from Census ACS B25119, B25070
Studio
$1,293/mo$1,059 to $1,397
1 Bedroom
$1,374/mo$1,066 to $1,520
2 Bedroom
$1,675/mo$1,399 to $1,810
3 Bedroom
$2,073/mo$1,757 to $2,170
4 Bedroom
$2,353/mo$2,172 to $2,423
30% of monthly median renter household income (~$1,337/mo, from a renter median of $53,493) · rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Measured: 46.6% of renter households already pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 22.4% pay 50% or more.
Key Takeaways
- In line with national: Home value to income ratio of 4.1x sits near the ~4.1x national average; affordability is neither a clear advantage nor a recruitment friction.
- High home ownership: 73% owner-occupied; rental supply may be tight for incoming workers.
- Elevated vacancy: 13.4% vacancy rate; potential redevelopment opportunity.
- Affordable rent tiers: 1 of 5 HUD Fair Market Rent bedroom sizes sit below what a household on the median renter income of $53,493 can pay without cost burden (~$1,337/mo), and 46.6% of renter households are measured as cost-burdened.
Source: Census ACS housing tables.
Workforce Pipeline
Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition
Labor Market Overview
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Tables B01001, B23025, B08303, B08301
599,418
Working Age (18-64) vs 2019
vs 2019
Mean Commute
26.0 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
15%
Education & Talent Pipeline
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
35.8%
HS Diploma+
91.7%
6 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
6,477/yr
3,732/yr
1,999/yr
929/yr
360/yr
354/yr
Aging Workforce
Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
23.8%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 14% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Elevated retirement risk, above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.
Workforce by Occupation
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table C24010 · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
43.3%
Service
17.1%
Sales & Office
19.3%
Construction / Maint.
8.5%
Production / Transport
11.8%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 60% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 487,985 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
- Succession risk is real: 23.8% of working-age residents are 55-64. Plan for retirements over the next decade and pair attraction strategy with talent retention.
- Healthy participation: 64% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, reflecting a steady, available workforce statewide.
Source: ACS workforce data.
County Profiles
3 counties in Delaware
AI Insights
Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 6 federal data sources.
Sample AI Insight
Delaware shows meaningful potential for credit intermediation and related activities attraction, with a 3.28x concentration and 26,009 jobs in this sub-sector. Near-term succession risk is elevated, with 23.8% of the working-age population within 10 years of retirement age.
Cluster depth across credit intermediation and related activities, securities, commodity contracts, investments, and petroleum and coal products manufacturing creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.
Industry Shift Analysis
Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100
Prospect Match Scores
Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
Updated from official federal government data.
Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
USAspending.govFY2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for Delaware, from federal data sources.
What is the population of Delaware?
1,021,191 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the median household income in Delaware?
$84,954 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Delaware?
3.9% (2024 annual average, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS).
What is the GDP of Delaware?
$111B (BEA CAGDP2 (Regional)).
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