New Castle County, Delaware Income Statistics
New Castle County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
New Castle County Around averageWealthiest county in Delaware
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | New Castle County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $91,590 | $85,760 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $67,213 | $61,988 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.1% | 13.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.0% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in New Castle County is about 7% higher than in Delaware. Income has been growing slower in New Castle County (4.1%/yr) than in Delaware (4.3%/yr).
About 16% of adults in New Castle County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Delaware average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in New Castle County, Delaware grew by 44.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $91,590 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in New Castle County
| Metric | New Castle County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.530 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $75,567 | $70,377 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $63,856 | $59,319 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.5% | 15.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In New Castle County, it is 0.530, about the same as Delaware's 0.525, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 18% more than women's income in New Castle County, Delaware. Over a 35-year career, a 18% wage gap accumulates to roughly $409,885 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in New Castle County, Delaware has narrowed from about 21% to 15% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $171 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | New Castle County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 17.6% | 15.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 14,894 people are unemployed in New Castle County, Delaware.
The average commute time in New Castle County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Delaware.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in New Castle County, Delaware has fallen from 7.6% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.6% in 2013.
New Castle County, DE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
New Castle County, DE is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 577,338 residents against a local median of 187,603. New Castle County, DE sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 14% below the local median at 4.8% against 5.6%. New Castle County, DE has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County, DE | 577,338 | $91,590 #3/6 | 4.1%/yr #2/6 | 4.8% #2/6 | 0.530 #4/6 |
| Salem County, NJ | 65,196 | $82,265 | 3.8%/yr | 7.4% | 0.529 |
| Cecil County, MD | 104,960 | $93,370 | 4.1%/yr | 5.5% | 0.531 |
| Chester County, PA | 543,223 | $127,033 | 4.5%/yr | 3.8% | 0.522 |
| Delaware County, PA | 578,234 | $90,232 | 3.8%/yr | 6.8% | 0.549 |
| Kent County, DE | 187,603 | $74,532 | 3.8%/yr | 5.6% | 0.513 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, New Castle County, Delaware has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Delaware, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in New Castle County, Delaware.
How Rich Is New Castle County, Delaware?
New Castle County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $91,590, about 7% higher than the Delaware average of $85,760.
How fast is household income rising in New Castle County, Delaware?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in New Castle County, Delaware rose 44%, from $63,522 to $91,590. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Delaware as a whole: +44% against +48%.
What was the median household income in New Castle County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in New Castle County, Delaware was $89,930, up 5% from $85,640 in 2022. The Delaware median that year was $83,479.
What was the median household income in New Castle County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in New Castle County, Delaware was $75,289. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $91,590.
What is the Gini coefficient in New Castle County, Delaware?
The Gini coefficient in New Castle County is 0.530. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in New Castle County, Delaware?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in New Castle County, Delaware has narrowed from about 21% to 15% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $171 since 2009.
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