Sussex County, Delaware
Among the top 24% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 4% for property tax rate
- bottom 6% for natural disaster risk
Sussex County is a county in Delaware with about 241,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sales tax, property tax rate, and park & nature access. It rates lower on violent crime and natural disaster risk.
Official websitesussexcountyde.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
68%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.6 in
muggy 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 16% of US counties
Home Value$324k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 14% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.35%better than 96% of US counties
Income Tax6.60%better than 14% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.09%better than 77% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 44% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.0 in69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.2 inbetter than 52% of US counties
Sunny Days219 daysbetter than 32% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 35% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk94.1better than 6% of US counties
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 26% of US counties
School Quality72.9better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime1752/100kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Crime1566/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Community
Population240,66891st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age51.395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3763rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9515th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1123rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)74.4%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)10.7%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.5%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 31% of US counties
Walkability7.4/20better than 81% of US counties
Airport Distance76 mibetter than 64% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.3%better than 80% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.79better than 34% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sussex County an affordable place to live?
- Sussex County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 16% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Sussex County?
- The median home value in Sussex County is $324k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Sussex County?
- Median household income in Sussex County is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Sussex County?
- Median gross rent in Sussex County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Sussex County safe?
- Sussex County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1752/100k (better than 10%). Property crime is 1566/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sussex County?
- Sussex County averages 78°F in July and 37°F in January, with 49.0 in of annual precipitation and about 219 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sussex County?
- Public-school quality in Sussex County is above average, scoring better than 77% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Sussex County?
- The average one-way commute in Sussex County is 27 min.
Other counties in Delaware
Explore Delaware
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)