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Living in
Newark.
About
Life in Newark
Living in Newark means being part of a college town that actually functions as a real community, not just a campus bubble. The University of Delaware anchors everything here, which keeps the population young and brings intellectual energy, but also means summers feel quieter and student housing can drive up prices in certain neighborhoods. Housing costs are moderate for the Northeast—median home values around $383k and median rent around $1,654—though prices have been climbing like everywhere else.
Newark at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
22.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.7%
Foreign-Born
12.9%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.9% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Newark: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Newark, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (22.8%), and 5.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
11.4%
of residents
65 and Older
11.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.9%
of households
Married Couples
36.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.58
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 18% above DE average
Rent, home values, and income in Newark
In Newark, rent runs 18% above the DE average, and home values are 9% above the DE average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
45.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,023
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $363,803 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above DE average
Unemployment in Newark
Unemployment in Newark is 1.1 percentage points higher than the DE average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Newark Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Newark residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Newark, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Wilmington Airport (ILG)
Regional airport · few flights169k passengers boarded in 2025
- 30 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 9% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Newark runs 9% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
298.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,735.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Newark Police Department
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 Newark, 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
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in New Castle County, which includes Newark, 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
Climate86°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Newark has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.0"
Annual Snowfall
20.2"
Hot Days/Year
33
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
97
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
110
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 3.43" |
| Feb | 46°F | 25°F | 2.91" |
| Mar | 54°F | 33°F | 4.27" |
| Apr | 67°F | 42°F | 3.71" |
| May | 76°F | 52°F | 3.63" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 3.95" |
| Jul | 89°F | 66°F | 4.84" |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 3.95" |
| Sep | 79°F | 58°F | 4.87" |
| Oct | 69°F | 46°F | 4.00" |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 3.36" |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 4.04" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Newark
Uninsured
3.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Newark's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Christiana Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Newark
Rockford Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Newark
Union Hospital of Cecil County
Acute Care Hospitals · 6.2 mi away · Elkton
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.
Education15.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Newark
Newark's student/teacher ratio is 15.9:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 58.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Newark
Public · 4-year · 19,071 students · in-state tuition $17,660 · 79% graduate · median earnings $83,800 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
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 Newark
Newark 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 awayGloria Dei Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayIndependence National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayThaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
National Memorial
37 mi awayEdgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
National Historic Site
38 mi awayHampton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
48 mi awayPublic Libraries in Newark
Newark Free Library
750 Library Avenue, Newark
Cities Near Newark
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Newark?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Newark FAQ
Is Newark, Delaware affordable?⌄
Newark's median rent is $1,654/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $76,912/year. Median home value is $382,500.
Is Newark, Delaware safe?⌄
Newark's violent crime rate was 299 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1735 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Newark, Delaware?⌄
Newark has an unemployment rate of 5.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Newark, Delaware?⌄
The cost of living in Newark is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,654/month and median household income is $76,912/year. The median home value is $382,500. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Newark, Delaware?⌄
The average commute in Newark is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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