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Living in
Bear.
Bear is an unincorporated community in New Castle County, DE. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Bear
Bear is a community of 22,604 people in Delaware. The median household income is $91,687, median rent runs about $1,771 per month, and median home values are around $304,800. Unemployment is low at 4.7%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Bear at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Foreign-Born
22.9%
Broadband Internet
93.5%
of households
Population Growth
+8.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics22.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Bear: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bear, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (31.2%), and 17.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.8%
of households
Married Couples
39.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% above DE average
Rent, home values, and income in Bear
In Bear, rent runs 26% above the DE average, and home values are 13% below the DE average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,238
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $412,430 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for DE
Unemployment in Bear
Unemployment in New Castle County, which includes Bear, is close to the DE average.
Unemployment rate
Bear: New Castle County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
New Castle County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Bear is about 4% of New Castle County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Bear Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.1 min avg
How Bear residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bear, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Wilmington Airport (ILG)
Regional airport · few flights169k passengers boarded in 2025
- 28 mi
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Major hub14.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the New Castle County Police Department, which covers Bear, runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
146.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
604.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by New Castle County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
New Castle County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In New Castle County, which includes Bear, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Winter Weather | $93,000 |
| 2024 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 18 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.6M |
| 2020 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Flash Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
New Castle County, county-wide
Bear is about 4% of New Castle County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in New Castle County, which includes Bear, is typically good — 235 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
235
per year
Moderate Days
126
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
New Castle County, county-wide
Bear is about 4% of New Castle County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bear has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.3"
Annual Snowfall
20.2"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
92
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 26°F | 3.23" |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 2.83" |
| Mar | 53°F | 34°F | 4.16" |
| Apr | 64°F | 44°F | 3.51" |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 3.57" |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 4.67" |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.41" |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 3.98" |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 4.38" |
| Oct | 67°F | 47°F | 3.68" |
| Nov | 56°F | 37°F | 3.06" |
| Dec | 46°F | 30°F | 3.85" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bear
Uninsured
10.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bear's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Meadowwood Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric · 1.9 mi away · New Castle
Christiana Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.3 mi away · Newark
Rockford Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Newark
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bear
Bear's student/teacher ratio is 12.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bear (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 19,071 students · in-state tuition $17,660 · 79% graduate · median earnings $83,800 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 691 students · in-state tuition $17,160 · 67% graduate · median earnings $56,160 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 161 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 15% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: First State National Historical Park, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bear
Bear has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being First State National Historical Park (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
First State National Historical Park
National Historical Park
15 mi awayValley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
34 mi awayEdgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayGloria Dei Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayIndependence National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayThaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
National Memorial
35 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
40 mi awayHampton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
52 mi awayCities Near Bear
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bear?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bear FAQ
Is Bear, Delaware affordable?⌄
Bear's median rent is $1,771/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $91,687/year. Median home value is $304,800.
Is Bear, Delaware safe?⌄
Bear is policed by the New Castle County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 147 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 604 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bear, Delaware?⌄
New Castle County, which includes Bear, has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bear, Delaware?⌄
The cost of living in Bear is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,771/month and median household income is $91,687/year. The median home value is $304,800. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bear, Delaware?⌄
The average commute in Bear is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from