What it's like to live in Delaware
Delaware is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Delaware deals with larger class sizes than the national average and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
How Delaware compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Delaware
Based on Delaware's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,572
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,440 a year
- 43% of Delaware renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$63,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,840
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,286/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,286 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $318,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $318,400 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 40% below US
197 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 954/100k · Delaware Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument (59 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Delaware's strongest points are rent below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoff is cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,286/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (19% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Delaware
All Ohio guides →Moving to Worthington →
13 mi away · pop. 14,938
Rent $1,232/mo · Income $127,382
Compare with Delaware →Moving to Westerville →
14 mi away · pop. 38,645
Rent $1,364/mo · Income $109,404
Compare with Delaware →Not sure Delaware is the one?
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