Kent County vs Sussex County
Kent County, Delaware versus Sussex County, Delaware: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Kent County and Sussex County score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kent County | Sussex County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $69k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $52k |
| Home Value | $272k | $324k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.35% |
| Income Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.46% | 8.09% |
| Unemployment | 6.0% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.6 in | 49.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.1 in | 11.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 219 days | 219 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.5 | 94.1 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.2 | 72.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1825/100k | 1752/100k |
| Property Crime | 1947/100k | 1566/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 182,400 | 240,668 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 51.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+11 |
| White (%) | 58.6% | 74.4% |
| Black (%) | 25.5% | 10.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 9.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.9% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 56 mi | 76 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.2% | 88.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.30 | 0.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kent County or Sussex County more affordable?
- Sussex County has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Kent County's $54k and Sussex County's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Kent County versus $1k in Sussex County.
- Is Kent County or Sussex County safer?
- Sussex County has the lower violent crime rate. Kent County reports 1825/100k and Sussex County reports 1752/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kent County or Sussex County?
- The median home value is $272k in Kent County and $324k in Sussex County, so homes are more affordable in Kent County.