Thinking of retiring in the Diamond State soon? Before you make any final decisions, read our Saturday Night Science based attempt to uncover the best spots to retire in Delaware.
If you like the idea of living your golden years near the sea but don’t fancy going as far south as Florida, Delaware is a wonderful option. Delaware is a happy middle ground on the Atlantic that everyone can get to during the holidays. Whether you’re into the more fun-and-friendly oceanside shores or the quieter bayside scene, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed by the wide variety of beaches Delaware has to offer.
What cities in Delaware have the most going on for retired folks? About half the cities on this list are in the southern part of the state, not super-close to the state’s biggest cities. Smyrna is the best Dover suburb to retire in, while New Castle tops the list of Wilmington suburbs. If you want to be near some of Delaware’s best beaches, you can’t go wrong retiring in Lewes or Rehoboth Beach.
The great thing about retiring in the second-smallest state in the country is that you’ll have no trouble visiting every corner with all your newfound free time.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Delaware For 2024
- Lewes
- Bridgeville
- Cheswold
- New Castle
- Milford
- Felton
- Wilmington
- Milton
- Delmar
- Rehoboth Beach
What is the best place to retire in Delaware? The best place to retire in Delaware is Lewes.
In order to make this list, we narrow it down to cities with 1,000 people. That left us with 28 cities. We then used data from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights.
The cities you see on the list above have low crime rates, low costs of living, good weather, a higher median age, and the easiest access to the best places in the state.
Why did Lewes take the top spot? And where are Wilmington and Dover?
For more Delaware state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Delaware
- Cheapest Places To Live In Delaware
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Delaware
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Delaware For 2024
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Population: 2,590
Median Income: $61,523
Median Home Price: $313,458
Median Rent: $854
Distance to Closest Airport: 65 miles
More on Bridgeville: Crime | Real Estate
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Population: 1,639
Median Income: $68,083
Median Home Price: $180,425
Median Rent: $850
Distance to Closest Airport: 48 miles
More on Cheswold: Real Estate
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Population: 5,523
Median Income: $95,884
Median Home Price: $256,759
Median Rent: $1,525
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on New Castle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 11,714
Median Income: $53,472
Median Home Price: $325,839
Median Rent: $1,109
Distance to Closest Airport: 58 miles
More on Milford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 1,136
Median Income: $55,536
Median Home Price: $350,422
Median Rent: $860
Distance to Closest Airport: 59 miles
More on Felton: Real Estate
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Population: 71,034
Median Income: $54,731
Median Home Price: $294,430
Median Rent: $1,157
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Wilmington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 2,398
Median Income: $55,625
Median Home Price: $303,261
Median Rent: $939
Distance to Closest Airport: 77 miles
More on Delmar: Real Estate
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Population: 1,357
Median Income: $147,273
Median Home Price: $755,955
Median Rent: $1,344
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Rehoboth Beach: Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the First State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in Delaware to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the First State — 77 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 1,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 28 places from across the state.
For these 28, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 28, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Lewes, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Delaware.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Delaware Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Delaware goes to Lewes.
The best places to retire in Delaware are Lewes, Bridgeville, Cheswold, New Castle, Milford, Felton, Wilmington, Milton, Delmar, and Rehoboth Beach.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Camden
- Bethany Beach
- Laurel
For more Delaware reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Delaware
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewes | 3,339 | $87,458 | $574,392 | $1,354 |
| 2 | Bridgeville | 2,590 | $61,523 | $313,458 | $854 |
| 3 | Cheswold | 1,639 | $68,083 | $180,425 | $850 |
| 4 | New Castle | 5,523 | $95,884 | $256,759 | $1,525 |
| 5 | Milford | 11,714 | $53,472 | $325,839 | $1,109 |
| 6 | Felton | 1,136 | $55,536 | $350,422 | $860 |
| 7 | Wilmington | 71,034 | $54,731 | $294,430 | $1,157 |
| 8 | Milton | 3,349 | $67,763 | $451,950 | $1,215 |
| 9 | Delmar | 2,398 | $55,625 | $303,261 | $939 |
| 10 | Rehoboth Beach | 1,357 | $147,273 | $755,955 | $1,344 |