These Are The 10 Most Successful Cities In Delaware

Top 10 Most Successful Cities in Delaware for 2026

Success can be defined in many ways. Is it the financial wealth you possess? The exhilaration of delivering an impactful presentation or the satisfaction of a well-timed joke? Or is it something more profound, elusive, and entirely subjective?

At Zippia, we prefer to quantify success through measurable criteria. Utilizing a data-driven approach, we have identified the ten most successful cities in Delaware as of 2026. Here they are:

If you find yourself questioning our list, keep reading for the rationale behind it.

For more insights on Delaware, check out:

How We Identified the Most Successful Cities in Delaware

When considering success, financial metrics often come to mind. However, we believe that success encompasses more than just wealth. For our analysis, we utilized the most recent data from the American Community Survey and other credible sources.

1. Middletown

Source: Flickr

Population: 19,469
Median Income: $83,701
Poverty Level: 4.5%
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

2. New Castle

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 5,346
Median Income: $53,420
Poverty Level: 10.3%
Unemployment Rate: 7.7%

3. Smyrna

Population: 10,681
Median Income: $52,243
Poverty Level: 7.1%
Unemployment Rate: 9.9%

4. Newark

Population: 32,278
Median Income: $53,125
Poverty Level: 33.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%

5. Georgetown

Population: 6,650
Median Income: $47,525
Poverty Level: 19.1%
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%

6. Milford

Population: 9,882
Median Income: $52,274
Poverty Level: 12.6%
Unemployment Rate: 10.2%

7. Elsmere

Population: 6,149
Median Income: $47,023
Poverty Level: 8.0%
Unemployment Rate: 13.3%

8. Seaford

Population: 7,163
Median Income: $35,813
Poverty Level: 22.5%
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%

9. Dover

Population: 36,826
Median Income: $45,660
Poverty Level: 16.1%
Unemployment Rate: 10.0%

10. Wilmington

Population: 71,263
Median Income: $38,979
Poverty Level: 22.3%
Unemployment Rate: 12.8%

Measuring Success

If you’re still pondering whether such metrics can truly encapsulate the success of a city or its residents, you’re not alone. Many share this skepticism. However, our approach provides a consistent framework for assessing success. Congratulations to Middletown and all the cities on our list. For those that didn’t make the top ten, there’s always next year!

Detailed List of the Most Successful Cities in Delaware

Rank	City	Median Income	Poverty Rate	Unemployment Rate
1	Middletown	$83,701	4.5%	5.7%
2	New Castle	$53,420	10.3%	7.7%
3	Smyrna	$52,243	7.1%	9.9%
4	Newark	$53,125	33.2%	6.1%
5	Georgetown	$47,525	19.1%	8.4%
6	Milford	$52,274	12.6%	10.2%
7	Elsmere	$47,023	8.0%	13.3%
8	Seaford	$35,813	22.5%	6.9%
9	Dover	$45,660	16.1%	10.0%
10	Wilmington	$38,979	22.3%	12.8%

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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