County · Delaware

Sussex County, Delaware

Sussex County, Delaware has a quality-of-life score of 65 out of 100 (high), ranking #1,090 of 3,143 US counties. Within Delaware it ranks #2 of 3 counties. It ranks best on new homes permitted (high), new business applications (high) and effective property tax rate (low). It ranks worst on home price to income ratio (high), time spent in the emergency room (high) and rent as share of income (high).

65High

Quality-of-life score: #1,090 of 3,143 counties
Delaware: #2 of 3 in DE
Population: 277,140 (2025)
Land area: 936 mi²
Density: 296.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 10005

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 80 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map Federal contracts here

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US counties.

Safety48#1,604/3,096
Economy81#606/3,143
Housing15#2,656/3,140
Health73#846/3,144
Healthcare58#1,312/3,143
Environment71#907/3,108
Education62#1,211/3,144
Infrastructure71#920/3,144
Community43#1,785/3,144
Leisure & amenities85#463/3,143

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Sussex County, Delaware ranks highest and lowest among US counties (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

New homes permitted · high13.1 /1k
98/100Delaware 6.0 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
New business applications · high24.8 /1k
97/100Delaware 56.7 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census Bureau
Effective property tax rate · low0.31%
96/100Delaware 0.54%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Flu vaccinations · high53.0%
94/100Delaware 53.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Mammography screening · high56.0%
92/100Delaware 55.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Suicide rate · low11.4 /100k
89/100Delaware 12.1 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional data

Weaknesses

Home price to income ratio · high4.7×
11/100Delaware 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Time spent in the emergency room · high199 min
11/100Delaware 210 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Rent as share of income · high31.6%
13/100Delaware 29.9%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Cost of buying a home today · high37.9%
14/100Delaware 30.5%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research
Rent-burdened households · high53.5%
15/100Delaware 49.6%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Dentists · low22 /100k
18/100Delaware 46 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
238,627 (2020) → 277,140 (2025)
+16%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 57% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+57 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
High ozone daysImproving
1 days (2017) → 0 days (2022)
−100%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
81.1% (2015-2019) → 91.5% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
40.4 /100k (2021) → 19.7 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−51%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesWorsening
64.3% (2010 & 2021) → 54.8% (2022 & 2024)
−9.5 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Sussex County, Delaware improved on 13 of 33 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 16 moved within the margin of error and 2 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among counties: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

Child poverty−7 points22.8% → 15.8%
Poverty−2.6 points12.1% → 9.5%
Arts & recreation+25%4.7 /10k → 5.8 /10k
Overdose deaths−61%49.9 /100k → 19.7 /100k
Bachelor's++4.7 points28.3% → 33.0%

Declined2

Price / income+0.6×4.1× → 4.7×
Airport+12 mi67 mi → 78 mi

All 33 measures

Change of every measure of Sussex County, Delaware between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	4.7 /10k2020	5.8 /10k2025	+25%	Improved	77%
Average commute time	26.4 min2015-2019	27.3 min2020-2024	+0.8 min	Within the margin of error	39%
Average weekly wage	$8802020	$1,1032025	+25%	Improved	60%
Bachelor's degree or higher	28.3%2015-2019	33.0%2020-2024	+4.7 points	Improved	82%
Broadband subscriptions	81.1%2015-2019	91.5%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	54%
Child poverty rate	22.8%2019	15.8%2024	−7 points	Improved	95%
Distance to an airport	67 mi2020	78 mi2025	+12 mi	Declined	1%
Drug overdose deaths	49.9 /100k2020	19.7 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−61%	Improved	86%
Effective property tax rate	0.34%2015-2019	0.31%2020-2024	−0 points	Little change	25%
Firearm deaths	10.9 /100k2020	10.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−6.4%	Within the margin of error	59%
Grocery stores	1.3 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	+9.1%	Within the margin of error	77%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.5 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	+5.8%	Within the margin of error	61%
High school diploma or higher	88.1%2015-2019	90.2%2020-2024	+2 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Home price to income ratio	4.1×2015-2019	4.7×2020-2024	+0.6×	Declined	29%
Homicide rate	4.6 /100k2020	3.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−35%	Within the margin of error	58%
Income adjusted for local prices	$55,3192019	$73,7892024	+33%	Improved	60%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4512015-2019	0.4572020-2024	+0.007	Within the margin of error	43%
Median household income	$64,8392019	$84,9172024	+31%	Improved	79%
New business applications	17.3 /1k2020	24.8 /1k2025	+44%	Improved	49%
Pharmacies	2.6 /10k2020	2.2 /10k2025	−14%	Within the margin of error	34%
Poverty rate	12.1%2019	9.5%2024	−2.6 points	Improved	90%
Property crime rate	1,589 /100k2020	1,100 /100k2025	−31%	Improved	41%
Public libraries	0.6 /10k2019	0.6 /10k2024	−13%	Within the margin of error	8%
Public transit commuters	0.4%2015-2019	0.5%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	93%
Rent as share of income	30.0%2015-2019	31.6%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Rent-burdened households	50.0%2015-2019	53.5%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Restaurants and bars	14.0 /10k2020	13.7 /10k2025	−2%	Within the margin of error	43%
Students per teacher	14.5×2019	15.0×2024	+0.4×	Little change	16%
Suicide rate	13.4 /100k2020	11.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−15%	Within the margin of error	81%
Traffic deaths	17.5 /100k2015-2019	15.0 /100k2020-2024	−14%	Within the margin of error	73%
Unemployment rate	7.2%2020	4.7%2025	−2.5 points	Improved	49%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	10.4%2019	10.3%2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Violent crime rate	326 /100k2020	282 /100k2025	−14%	Improved	48%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 2303 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates; Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Common Core of Data; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 3144 counties that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Counties like Sussex County, Delaware five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Sussex County, Delaware in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Sussex County, Delaware itself moved +1.8 points in standing on average over the same 32 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

255,626 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 70–79 men (+1.1 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

255,626 residents

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

White72%184,909
Black9.8%25,014
Hispanic or Latino12%29,438

Education

193,708 residents (±94)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

No high school diploma9.8%19,045
High school or GED30%57,754
Some college18%35,216

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

106,441 households (±1,143)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Under $25k12%12,848
$25k–50k18%18,988
$50k–75k16%17,066
$75k–100k15%15,564
$100k–150k18%19,305
$150k–200k10%10,738
$200k or more11%11,932

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $200k or more (+5.3 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

106,441 households (±1,143)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Own82%86,851
Rent18%19,590

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+1.3 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

17,771 households (±1,214)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Under $75016%2,875
$750–1,00015%2,617
$1,000–1,50035%6,198

Home values

86,851 homes (±1,368)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Under $150k11%9,958
$150k–250k15%12,739
$250k–400k27%23,528

Age of homes

151,799 homes (±115)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

2010 or later25%38,418
2000–200924%35,852
1980–199927%40,979

Size of homes

151,799 homes (±115)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Studio0.7%1,110
1 bedroom3.0%4,485
2 bedrooms20%29,603

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

108,195 workers (±1,365)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Drive alone75%81,593
Carpool8.0%8,689
Public transit0.5%†494
Walk1.3%1,440
Bike0.5%†493
Work from home13%14,479
Other0.9%1,007

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−7.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

93,716 workers (±1,434)

Sussex County, Delaware
Delaware share

Under 15 min25%23,811
15–29 min36%33,432
30–44 min22%20,373

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Seaford, DE

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Sussex County has 6,411 employer establishments, 243 for every 10,000 residents (0.98× the US rate of 248; 0.85× Delaware's), with 78,541 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,039. The Census Bureau also counts 24,311 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 6,411; 24,311 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 243; US 248 · Delaware 287
Paid employees: 78,541
Average annual pay: $51,039; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Sussex County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	585	22.2	1.21×About typical	10,901	$29,176	85
Ambulatory health care services	449	17	0.82×About typical	5,355	$79,906	956
Specialty trade contractors	448	17	1.10×About typical	3,696	$60,190	1,911
Full-service restaurants	317	12	1.56×More than typical	7,405	$31,580	30
Lessors of real estate	314	11.9	0.97×About typical	1,562	$51,786	3,540
Construction of buildings	269	10.2	1.35×More than typical	1,645	$73,047	904
Services to buildings and dwellings	266	10.1	1.49×More than typical	2,899	$42,768	1,627
Limited-service restaurants	195	7.4	0.92×About typical	2,787	$22,921	43
Management, scientific and technical consulting	187	7.1	1.06×About typical	474	$96,042	1,118
Building equipment contractors	181	6.9	1.14×About typical	1,826	$61,859	379
Clothing and accessories stores	181	6.9	1.89×More than typical	1,609	$25,639	197
Offices of physicians	173	6.6	1.01×About typical	2,195	$102,278	187

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 264,046 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $19.5M on contracts performed in Sussex County, Delaware: $70.36 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $19.5M; −54% vs FY2025
Per resident: $70.36; US $1,995
Sole-source: 13%; US 30%
Single offer: 2.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of Veterans Affairs$18.3M94%
Defense Logistics Agency$914.5K

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $2.7B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Sussex County, Delaware: $9,882 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $2.7B; +0.3% vs FY2025
Per resident: $9,882; US $12,957
Loan face value: $103.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.4%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$2.1B77%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$153.4M5.6%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$144.4M5.3%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$107.6M3.9%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$56.7M2.1%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$28.2M1.0%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$17.4M0.6%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$17.4M0.6%

Top recipients (organizations)

TRANSPORTATION, DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF$118.9M4.3%
DOVER, DE
SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL$7.3M0.3%
GEORGETOWN, DE
LA RED HEALTH CENTER, INC.$4.4M0.2%
GEORGETOWN, DE
IMPACT LIFE INC.$1.3M0.0%
NEWARK, DE
STATE OF DELAWARE$1.2M0.0%

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$2.4B87%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$173.2M6.3%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$119.1M4.3%
Department of Transportation
Railroad Retirement Board$17.4M0.6%
Natural Resources Conservation Service$10.9M

Assistance by fiscal year

1.9BFY2021
2BFY2022
2.3BFY2023
2.5BFY2024
2.7BFY2025
2.7BFY2026

County aggregates

94%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Explore grants in Sussex County, Delaware

Public money & outcomes

Federal money per resident by fiscal year next to how the place changed, and, when its money jumped, how it compares with similar counties. A comparison, not cause and effect.

How Sussex County, Delaware compares: the federal money it received per resident, and how jobs, income, housing and other outcomes moved, each next to the United States.

Money per resident

By federal fiscal year (October to September, named by the year it ends), obligations per resident. A year with no record counts as $0.

Sussex County, Delaware
United States
Year its money jumped
partial year

Federal contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2017	$150	$1,436
FY2018	$49.60	$1,552
FY2019	$58.97	$1,654
FY2020	$348	$1,880
FY2021	$128	$1,810
FY2022	$23.64	$1,917
FY2023	$166	$2,079
FY2024	$37.47	$2,047
FY2025	$152	$2,165
FY2026	$70.36 (partial year)	$1,912
FY2027	$0 (partial year)	—

Construction contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2017	$108	$93.28
FY2018	$12.52	$105
FY2019	-$1.88	$128
FY2020	$46.79	$145
FY2021	$1.93	$117

Contracts and grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2021	$357	$5,748
FY2022	$559	$5,221
FY2023	$605	$5,364
FY2024	$692	$5,501
FY2025	$510	$5,732
FY2026	$562

Transportation grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2021	$155	$298
FY2022	$415	$357
FY2023	$344	$301
FY2024	$480	$319
FY2025	$289	$360
FY2026	$456

Housing assistanceUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2021	$51.58	$239
FY2022	$40.98	$185
FY2023	$75.02	$229
FY2024	$78.37	$229
FY2025	$48.16	$249
FY2026	$48.92

HHS grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2021	$34.61	$2,304
FY2022	$17.85	$2,197
FY2023	$19.91	$2,274
FY2024	$30.34	$2,267
FY2025	$18.15	$2,397
FY2026	$21.75

SBA lending volumeUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
FY2021	$828	$1,186
FY2022	$308	$465
FY2023	$21.18	$76.52
FY2024	$32.28	$120
FY2025	$86.81	$148
FY2026	$71.09

Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)

How outcomes moved

Calendar years. Charts share the same years as the money above. Levels are shown as percent change since 2016; rates are shown as the rate itself.

Sussex County, Delaware
United States
Years with money loaded
Year its money jumped

Job growthpercent

Table view

Job growth, Sussex County, Delaware and the United States, by year
Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	3.7%

When its money jumped

A county-year with at least 10,000 residents whose money per resident is at least twice its earlier average counts as a jump. Each is compared with up to five similar counties in the same region whose money did not jump.

Transportation grants · FY2022

$415 per resident in FY2022, against an earlier average of $155 (2.7× that).

Compared with 9 similar counties

Sussex County, Delaware
Comparison counties (average)
Range of comparison counties

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business Formation Statistics, Building Permits Survey, Cartographic Boundary Files, Gazetteer and metro delineations, Population Estimates Program, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission), Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System), Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordability. JSON · /api/v1/outcomes/places/10005

See all comparisons

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Sussex County, Delaware is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Sarah McBrideD-DE · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 0.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

Metro area

The metro or micro area Sussex County belongs to. A county is in at most one.

Seaford, DE68Central county

Cities and towns in Sussex County

Places whose residents live mostly in Sussex County, largest first.

Neighboring counties

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar counties

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
National Risk IndexFederal Emergency Management Agency · release v1.20.0
Health Professional Shortage AreasHealth Resources and Services Administration · release 2026-10-06
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
Common Core of DataNational Center for Education Statistics · release 2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/10005

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	−5.7%	−4.2%
2015	−2.2%	−1.3%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+2.6%	+3.3%
2018	+5.1%	+6.8%
2019	+8.9%	+10.5%
2020	+18.8%	+19.4%
2021	+26.3%	+26.1%
2022	+33.6%	+30.6%
2023	+37.0%	+35.0%
2024	+42.9%	+41.0%
2025	+48.9%	+46.8%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	−7.2%	−5.5%
2015	−0.4%	−1.9%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+3.1%	+4.1%
2018	+8.0%	+8.9%
2019	+13.3%	+13.5%
2020	+16.9%	+20.8%
2021	+29.6%	+32.1%
2022	+37.9%	+35.4%
2023	+44.5%	+42.9%
2024	+52.7%	+49.5%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	10.9/1k	3.3/1k
2015	11.4/1k	3.7/1k
2016	12.7/1k	3.7/1k
2017	14.1/1k	3.9/1k
2018	13.8/1k	4.1/1k
2019	14.7/1k	4.2/1k
2020	19.0/1k	4.4/1k
2021	19.4/1k	5.2/1k
2022	16.3/1k	5.0/1k
2023	15.7/1k	4.5/1k
2024	16.1/1k	4.3/1k
2025	14.0/1k	4.2/1k

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	−5.8%	−6.9%
2015	−4.1%	−3.2%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+8.0%	+4.7%
2018	+5.7%	+7.5%
2019	+14.5%	+14.0%
2020	+23.3%	+16.9%
2021	+24.5%	+21.0%
2022	+43.4%	+29.7%
2023	+37.9%	+34.9%
2024	+50.0%	+41.6%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	−5.1% (Dec 2014)	−10.8% (Dec 2014)
2015	−2.4% (Dec 2015)	−5.2% (Dec 2015)
2016	0.0% (Dec 2016)	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	+4.7% (Dec 2017)	+6.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	+6.9% (Dec 2018)	+12.6% (Dec 2018)
2019	+10.9% (Dec 2019)	+18.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	+21.0% (Dec 2020)	+29.3% (Dec 2020)
2021	+48.7% (Dec 2021)	+49.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	+58.3% (Dec 2022)	+64.7% (Dec 2022)
2023	+60.4% (Dec 2023)	+69.0% (Dec 2023)
2024	+61.9% (Dec 2024)	+73.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	+60.0% (Dec 2025)	+73.7% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	5.7%	6.2%
2015	4.9%	5.3%
2016	4.5%	4.9%
2017	4.4%	4.4%
2018	3.7%	3.9%
2019	3.6%	3.7%
2020	7.2%	8.1%
2021	5.0%	5.4%
2022	4.2%	3.7%
2023	3.9%	3.6%
2024	3.8%	4.0%
2025	4.7%	4.3%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	13.9%	15.5%
2015	12.3%	14.7%
2016	11.6%	14.0%
2017	11.9%	13.4%
2018	12.3%	13.1%
2019	12.1%	12.3%
2020	11.0%	11.9%
2021	11.5%	12.8%
2022	9.5%	12.6%
2023	10.1%	12.5%
2024	9.5%	12.1%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2015	—	−3.3% (Dec 2015)
2016	—	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	—	+4.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	—	+8.8% (Dec 2018)
2019	—	+13.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	—	+15.2% (Dec 2020)
2021	— (Dec 2021)	+32.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	— (Dec 2022)	+42.1% (Dec 2022)
2023	— (Dec 2023)	+46.3% (Dec 2023)
2024	— (Dec 2024)	+50.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	— (Dec 2025)	+53.5% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	11.5%	13.5%
2015	9.4%	10.9%
2016	8.9%	10.0%
2017	7.2%	10.2%
2018	9.1%	10.4%
2019	10.4%	10.8%
2020	8.3%	10.4%
2021	8.7%	10.2%
2022	8.4%	9.5%
2023	9.1%	9.5%
2024	10.3%	9.8%

Calendar years	Sussex County, Delaware	United States
2014	11.9/1k	8.5/1k
2015	12.9/1k	8.7/1k
2016	14.8/1k	9.1/1k
2017	15.7/1k	9.8/1k
2018	16.5/1k	10.7/1k
2019	16.7/1k	10.6/1k
2020	17.3/1k	13.1/1k
2021	23.7/1k	16.2/1k
2022	23.4/1k	15.1/1k
2023	23.2/1k	16.2/1k
2024	22.8/1k	15.4/1k
2025	24.8/1k	16.6/1k

Year	Sussex County, Delaware	Comparison counties (average)	Range of comparison counties
Year −3	−3.2 points	−3.3 points	−4.8 points to −1.7 points
Year −2	−11.2 points	−10.3 points	−14.9 points to −7.4 points
Year −1	0.0 points	0.0 points	0.0 points to 0.0 points
Year 0	−0.4 points	−2.3 points	−8.5 points to +0.8 points
Year +1	−1.7 points	−2.5 points	−3.9 points to −0.8 points
Year +2	−1.7 points	−4.1 points	−5.7 points to −3.4 points

Year	Sussex County, Delaware	Comparison counties (average)	Range of comparison counties
Year −3	−4.6 per 1,000 people	−4.7 per 1,000 people	−6.4 per 1,000 people to −2.9 per 1,000 people
Year −2	−0.4 per 1,000 people	−3.7 per 1,000 people	−7.2 per 1,000 people to +0.3 per 1,000 people
Year −1	0.0 per 1,000 people	0.0 per 1,000 people	0.0 per 1,000 people to 0.0 per 1,000 people
Year 0	−3.1 per 1,000 people	−2.4 per 1,000 people	−5.0 per 1,000 people to −0.6 per 1,000 people
Year +1	−3.7 per 1,000 people	−3.1 per 1,000 people	−5.6 per 1,000 people to −0.8 per 1,000 people
Year +2	−3.3 per 1,000 people	−4.6 per 1,000 people	−10.5 per 1,000 people to −1.3 per 1,000 people

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined2

Counties like Sussex County, Delaware five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Public money & outcomes

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Compared with 9 similar counties

Representation in Congress

House

Senate

Metro area

Cities and towns in Sussex County

Neighboring counties

Similar counties

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined2

House

Senate

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Compared with 9 similar counties

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

What was bought

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards