Cost of living in Delaware
Prices in Delaware are 0.2% below the US average (20th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $3,609 in state income tax. State sales tax: 0%.
Price levels in Delaware
| BEA RPP 2024 | Delaware | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 99.8 | −0.2% |
| Goods | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 102.0 | +2.0% |
| Utilities | 103.8 | +3.8% |
| Other services | 101.2 | +1.2% |
Metros in Delaware
Metros whose principal city is in Delaware. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | 194,786 | 97.5 | $1,629 | $182 | $1,089 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in Delaware: Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
Taxes in Delaware (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Delaware income tax | $2,098 | $3,609 | $6,579 | $6,035 |
| Delaware payroll taxes | $200 | $300 | $480 | $480 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,338 | $4,807 | $7,183 | $8,222 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Delaware’s income and payroll taxes cost $3,909 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Delaware
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2022) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $182 | $11,577 | $156 |
| Toddler (2) | $139 | $8,838 | $131 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $145 | $9,191 | $131 |
| School-age (5–12) | $111 | $7,070 | $66 |
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022; median across 3 counties with 2022 data. *52 weeks × 1.2224 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2022 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | $352,200 | $2,499 | 0.71% |
| Kent County | $316,600 | $1,363 | 0.43% |
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Delaware
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 33,421 in, 28,385 out (net +5,036).
- Maryland7,026 ±2,233
- Pennsylvania6,673 ±1,661
- New Jersey3,404 ±1,047
- New York2,684 ±1,027
- Virginia1,854 ±915
- Georgia1,595 ±1,979
- Florida1,574 ±1,286
- California1,439 ±815
- Pennsylvania6,665 ±1,696
- Maryland5,781 ±1,822
- New Jersey3,347 ±1,138
- Virginia2,342 ±1,050
- Florida1,581 ±994
- South Carolina1,241 ±901
- Illinois868 ±1,115
- South Dakota753 ±854
Frequently asked questions
Is Delaware expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Delaware’s overall price level at 99.8 in 2024 (US = 100), the 20th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 102.0 and goods 96.2.
Does Delaware have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $3,609 in Delaware income tax under 2026 law (4.8% of pay), plus $300 in state payroll taxes.
What is the sales tax in Delaware?+
The state rate is 0% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.