Sussex County, Delaware Income Statistics
Sussex 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.
-
B
Sussex County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sussex County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,820 | $85,760 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,705 | $61,988 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.6% | 13.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.2% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sussex County is about 5% lower than in Delaware. Income has been growing faster in Sussex County (5.2%/yr) than in Delaware (4.3%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Sussex County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Delaware average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Sussex County, Delaware grew by 61.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $81,820 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sussex County
| Metric | Sussex County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.514 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,335 | $70,377 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,137 | $59,319 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.9% | 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 Sussex County, it is 0.514, lower than Delaware's 0.525, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 19% more than women's income in Sussex County, Delaware. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $356,930 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sussex County, Delaware has narrowed from about 22% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $537 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sussex County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.4% | 15.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 6,180 people are unemployed in Sussex County, Delaware.
The average commute time in Sussex County is 22 minutes, about the same as in Delaware.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sussex County, Delaware has fallen from 7.7% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2019.
Sussex County, DE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sussex County, DE is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 252,121 residents against a local median of 94,930. Nothing separates Sussex County, DE sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 14% above the local median at 5.2%/yr against 4.6%/yr. Sussex County, DE has the 2nd highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County, DE | 252,121 | $81,820 #3/6 | 5.2%/yr #2/6 | 5.3% #2/6 | 0.514 #3/6 |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | $76,195 | 4.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.530 |
| Kent County, DE | 187,603 | $74,532 | 3.8%/yr | 5.6% | 0.513 |
| Worcester County, MD | 53,701 | $83,661 | 4.8%/yr | 6.7% | 0.519 |
| Caroline County, MD | 33,666 | $69,099 | 3.8%/yr | 5.7% | 0.520 |
| Cape May County, NJ | 94,930 | $91,655 | 5.6%/yr | 5.2% | 0.506 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sussex County, Delaware has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Delaware, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Sussex County, Delaware.
How Rich Is Sussex County, Delaware?
Sussex 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 $81,820, about 5% lower than the Delaware average of $85,760.
How has median household income changed in Sussex County, Delaware?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sussex County, Delaware rose 62%, from $50,562 to $81,820. Over the same years, income here outpaced Delaware as a whole: +62% against +48%.
What was the median household income in Sussex County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sussex County, Delaware was $78,291, up 4% from $75,179 in 2022. The Delaware median that year was $83,479.
What was the median household income in Sussex County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sussex County, Delaware was $64,437. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $81,820.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sussex County, Delaware?
The Gini coefficient in Sussex County is 0.514. 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 Sussex County, Delaware?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sussex County, Delaware has narrowed from about 22% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $537 since 2009.
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