Department of Numbers

Delaware Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Delaware was $1,116 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent was $1,088 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Delaware median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Delaware rental vacancy rates, Delaware rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Delaware.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Delaware (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Delaware Median Gross Rent $1,116 -1.06% +1.73%

Delaware Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Delaware peaked in real terms in 2018 at $1,128 and is now $12 (1.06%) lower. Average gross rent for Delaware peaked in real terms in 2018 at $1,104 and is now $16 (1.45%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in Delaware: Median, Average, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Delaware

Date US Median Delaware Median Delaware Average
2019 $1,097 $1,116 $1,088
2018 $1,077 $1,128 $1,104
2017 $1,043 $1,120 $1,091
2016 $1,027 $1,097 $1,094
2015 $1,017 $1,113 $1,067
2014 $986 $1,081 $1,084
2013 $953 $1,052 $1,005
2012 $940 $1,021 $1,023
2011 $941 $1,037 $1,055
2010 $955 $1,064 $1,041
2009 $960 $1,082 $1,069

more history ...

Delaware Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Delaware was 6.57% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Delaware

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Delaware 6.57% +0.80% -1.46%

Trends in Delaware Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Delaware peaked in 2010 at 13.41%. Since then it has fallen by 6.84% to 6.57%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2018 post peak low of 5.77%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.80%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Delaware, US

Rental vacancy rate in Delaware

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Delaware

Date US Delaware
2019 5.97% 6.57%
2018 6.15% 5.77%
2017 6.18% 7.46%
2016 5.89% 8.03%
2015 5.85% 7.12%
2014 6.32% 7.15%
2013 6.49% 9.35%
2012 6.77% 7.90%
2011 7.40% 8.59%
2010 8.17% 13.41%
2009 8.43% 12.42%

more history ...

Delaware Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Delaware, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Delaware, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.08% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Delaware Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Delaware 19.08% -1.43% -1.28%

Trends in Delaware Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Delaware household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2017 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.73%. Since then it has fallen by 1.65% to 19.08%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Delaware, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Delaware

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Delaware

Date US Delaware
2019 20.03% 19.08%
2018 20.50% 20.52%
2017 20.13% 20.73%
2016 20.43% 20.36%
2015 20.63% 20.55%
2014 20.89% 20.58%
2013 20.78% 20.72%
2012 20.65% 19.72%
2011 20.70% 19.59%
2010 20.50% 20.46%
2009 20.12% 20.03%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Delaware

You can calculate the renter fraction in Delaware in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Delaware as a fraction of total Delaware households. In 2019 29.70% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Delaware Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Delaware 29.70% +0.73% -0.51%

Trends in the Delaware Renter Fraction

The Delaware household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 30.21% and is now 0.51% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Delaware, US

Fraction of renters in Delaware

History of Delaware Renter Fraction

Date US Delaware
2019 35.89% 29.70%
2018 36.05% 28.97%
2017 36.13% 29.05%
2016 36.88% 30.21%
2015 36.97% 29.19%
2014 36.90% 29.72%
2013 36.50% 28.32%
2012 36.09% 29.17%
2011 35.42% 28.40%
2010 34.65% 27.03%
2009 34.13% 26.38%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.