Map the Block › Places › Delaware › Sussex County
What are the crime rate and median income in Sussex County, Delaware?
Sussex County averaged 3.3 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 14% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8). Median household income is $81,497 and the unemployment rate was 4.5% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 255,626 residents.
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 Sussex County?
From 2021 through 2025, Sussex County averaged 893 reported violent crimes a year, along with 3,704 property crimes. That is 3.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 14% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8), and 10% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 13.7 per 1,000 (Delaware: 18.2; U.S.: 18.1). Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (85%). CDC death records show about 8 homicide deaths a year in the county (3.4 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Sussex County | Per 1,000 | Delaware per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 893 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 9 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 58 | 0.21 | 0.23 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 71 | 0.26 | 0.50 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 755 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 3,704 | 13.7 | 18.2 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 485 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 2,977 | 11.0 | 14.3 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 242 | 0.89 | 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 (22 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Sussex County?
Half of households in Sussex County make more than $81,497 and half make less; across Delaware the midpoint is $84,954. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $382,600, and the median rent is $1,238 a month. 10.6% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 10.7%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 5,523 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Sussex County | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 255,626 | 1,021,191 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $81,497 | $84,954 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $382,600 | $352,000 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,238 | $1,401 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 10.9% | 10.4% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6% | 10.7% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 35.8% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 81.6% | 73.0% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 51.9 | 41.6 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 91.5% | 92.4% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 7.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Sussex County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Sussex County as “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: coastal flooding (Very High) and hurricanes (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
4 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Sussex County: Ncr Corp. (Millsboro Plant), Georgetown North Groundwater, Blades Groundwater and Millsboro Tce. 1 other site has 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
Sussex County has 26 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. 2 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 23 Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Records Pond Dam (25 ft) and Horseys Pond Dam (19 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
14 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 976,318 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Sussex County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Snowstorm 1), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 0 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 113 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 3 (low). NHTSA counted 35 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 4 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Sussex County?
No highway work zones were listed in Sussex County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Sussex County?
Sussex County has 55 public schools (2024-25) and 8 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 10 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 29 fire or EMS stations and 23 police or sheriff stations. 5 state parks or recreation areas: Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware Seashore State Park, Fenwick Island State Park, Holts Landing State Park and Trap Pond State Park.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Sussex County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Sussex County: Nanticoke Indian Tribe SDTSA.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Sussex County
Gun shops
15 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Sussex County, plus 38 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Baker Sporting (Greenwood), Baker's Ace Hardware (Millsboro), Best Shot (Lewes), Coastal Firearms LLC (Millsboro), Emmert Auction Associates (Rehoboth Beach), Furnishings Plus (Delmar), G & E INC (Ocean View), General Store (Lewes) and 7 more.
Liquor stores
62 liquor stores are on the map in Sussex County: Atlantic Liquors INC (Rehoboth Bch), Backbay Liquor Warehouse (Millsboro), Banks Wines & Spirits (Millville), Bay Road Package (Rehoboth Bch), Bayside Wine And Spirits (Selbyville), Bayville Package Store (Selbyville), Beach Liquors LLC (Bethany Beach), Beantsingh (Milton) and 54 more.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Sussex County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
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 Sussex County?
Sussex County averaged 893 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.3 per 1,000 residents, 14% lower than the Delaware rate (3.8). The property-crime rate was 13.7 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Sussex County?
$81,497 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $84,954 for Delaware and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Sussex County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 5,523 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Sussex County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Sussex County as “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: coastal flooding (Very High) and hurricanes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Sussex County?
4 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Sussex County: Ncr Corp. (Millsboro Plant), Georgetown North Groundwater, Blades Groundwater and Millsboro Tce. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Sussex County right now?
No highway work zones were listed in Sussex County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Sussex County?
10 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Sussex County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County, MD | 33,669 | 1.8 | $68,457 |
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | 3.3 | $61,839 |
| Kent County | 187,604 | 4.1 | $74,477 |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,914 | 4.0 | $76,210 |
| Worcester County, MD | 53,700 | 2.5 | $81,745 |
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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