What is it Like to Live in Delaware?

Dela-where? Yes, Delaware.

Nestled along the Atlantic coast between Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, living in Delaware proves it is possible to have a high quality of life at a reasonable cost with easy access to cultural amenities. New and diverse people move to Delaware every day – it was one of the fastest growing states in the country in 2022. With safe neighborhoods, low taxes, and quality infrastructure, living in Delaware is a no-brainer. The only question now is: which county?

Delaware may be only 96 miles long, but its three counties – New Castle, Kent, and Sussex – span distinct geographic and culturally diverse areas, each providing unique benefits of living in Delaware.

New Castle County sits in the scenic Brandywine Valley and is home to numerous museums, parks, and two of the major cities of the First State, Wilmington and Newark. Living in New Castle County juxtaposes the history and the future of industry in America; historic sites like the DuPont’s Hagley or Nemours Estates sit only a few miles away from innovation incubators like STAR Campus at University of Delaware. With an emerging art and theater scene in Wilmington and an active live music scene in the college town of Newark, cultural amenities abound in New Castle County. Plus, Wilmington is only a 20-minute train ride to Philadelphia, a city well-regarded for its dedication to the arts. If you love the bustle of urban environments plus nearby access to greenspace, New Castle County is the place for you.

Driving south past the C&D Canal on Route 1, you can feel the tension in your shoulders begin to dissipate as you enter Kent County in central Delaware. A rural and suburban landscape dotted with quaint villages, Kent County is the least populous yet youngest county on average in the First State, indicative of the many young families settling in the developing suburbs of Dover, Harrington, and Milford. Dover, the state capital, hosts major events year-round at Bally’s Dover Casino Resort and the Dover Motor Speedway, drawing thousands of fans from around the region for comedy shows, live music, and NASCAR races. Plus, due to its central location on the Delmarva Peninsula, living in Kent County offers easy access to both the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. If you love to stop and smell the roses, Kent County is the place for you.

Continue south along Route 1 and you will find yourself in Sussex County, famous for its lovely beaches and agrarian pastures. Beach towns like Rehoboth, Lewes, and Cape Henlopen offer year-round amenities for beach-lovers including a lively boardwalk, water sports, idyllic dunes, and multiple film, music, and holiday festivals. Living in Sussex County means access to farm fresh produce, local oysters, world-class chefs, and more at the Culinary Coast, the Mid-Atlantic’s newest foodie mecca. Plus, take the road less traveled on one of Sussex County’s many scenic byways, including the Historic Lewes Byway, the Nanticoke Heritage Byway, and the Delaware Bayshore Byway. If you love fresh food and relaxing at the beach, living in Sussex County is the place for you.

Overall, living in Delaware checks all the boxes – all you have to decide is which county fits your lifestyle.