Map the Block › Places › Delaware › New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware in numbers: crime, income, hazards
New Castle County averaged 3.2 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 16% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8). Households here have a median income of $91,166 and the unemployment rate was 4.9% in August 2026. About 577,961 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in New Castle County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 1,856 violent and 6,949 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 3.2: 16% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8), and 13% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 12.0 per 1,000 residents, compared with 18.2 across Delaware. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (77%). CDC death records show about 50 homicide deaths a year in the county (8.9 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | New Castle County | Per 1,000 | Delaware per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 1,856 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 34 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 98 | 0.17 | 0.23 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 302 | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 1,424 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 6,949 | 12.0 | 18.2 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 947 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 4,761 | 8.2 | 14.3 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1,241 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (9 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in New Castle County?
Median household income is $91,166, close to the statewide figure ($84,954). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $352,200 by its owners; renters pay a median $1,448. 9.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 10.7%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 14,736 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | New Castle County | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 577,961 | 1,021,191 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $91,166 | $84,954 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $352,200 | $352,000 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,448 | $1,401 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 10.1% | 10.4% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8% | 10.7% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 35.8% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 69.0% | 73.0% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 39.3 | 41.6 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 93.2% | 92.4% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.9% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in New Castle County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, New Castle County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: river flooding (Relatively High) and coastal flooding (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
11 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in New Castle County: Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill, Tybouts Corner Landfill, Standard Chlorine Of Delaware, Inc., Army Creek Landfill, Delaware City Pvc Plant, Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant), plus 5 more. 3 other sites have finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
New Castle County has 15 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 11 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Edgar M. Hoopes Dam (127 ft) and Newark Reservoir Dam (70 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
27 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 4,561,204 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
New Castle County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Hurricane 2), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 4 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 31 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 61 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 19 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in New Castle County?
New Castle County had 6 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (0 active that day). Roads listed: I-295 NB, Ramp from I-95 NB to Airport Road and SR 141 SB to I-295 NB. 6 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in New Castle County?
Federal school lists show 128 public and 45 private schools in the county. 26 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 37 fire or EMS stations and 14 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: First State National Historical Park. 19 state parks or recreation areas: Alapocas Run State Park, Auburn Heights, Bellevue State Park, Brandywine Creek State Park and Brandywine Park and 14 more.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in New Castle County
Gun shops
9 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in New Castle County (8 from the ATF licensee list, 1 from OpenStreetMap), plus 29 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Cabela's 453 (Newark), Crazy Coatings (Middletown), First State Firearms Of Delaware LLC (New Castle), Freedom Firearms (Middletown), Millers Gun Center INC (New Castle), Old Liberty Armory LLC (Delaware City), Starquest Shooters & Survival Supply (Wilmington) and Wst Gunsmith (Wilmington).
Liquor stores
128 liquor stores are on the map in New Castle County: 273 Liquors (Newark), 4 Seasons Liquors (Newark), 5Ab INC (Wilmington), 5th Street Liquors (Delaware City), 896 Liquors (Newark), Ambassador Liquors (Wilmington), Avenue Wine & Spirits LLC (Bear), Beaver Brook Liquors (New Castle) and 120 more.
Planned Parenthood
2 Planned Parenthood health centers are on the map in New Castle County: Planned Parenthood (Newark) and Planned Parenthood (Wilmington).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in New Castle County?
New Castle County averaged 1,856 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.2 per 1,000 residents, 16% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8). The property-crime rate was 12.0 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in New Castle County?
$91,166 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $84,954 for Delaware and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in New Castle County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 14,736 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect New Castle County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, New Castle County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: river flooding (Relatively High) and coastal flooding (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in New Castle County?
11 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in New Castle County: Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill, Tybouts Corner Landfill, Standard Chlorine Of Delaware, Inc., Army Creek Landfill, Delaware City Pvc Plant, Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant), plus 5 more. 3 other sites have finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in New Castle County right now?
New Castle County had 6 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (0 active that day). Roads listed: I-295 NB, Ramp from I-95 NB to Airport Road and SR 141 SB to I-295 NB. 6 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in New Castle County?
26 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does New Castle County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil County, MD | 104,960 | 2.6 | $92,007 |
| Chester County, PA | 547,840 | 0.97 | $127,208 |
| Delaware County, PA | 579,222 | 2.0 | $89,546 |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 306,954 | 1.2 | $105,115 |
| Kent County | 187,604 | 4.1 | $74,477 |
| Kent County, MD | 19,346 | 1.2 | $80,147 |
| Salem County, NJ | 65,275 | 2.8 | $79,960 |
Cities in New Castle County with their own page: Wilmington.
More: Delaware statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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