Population 6,954 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elsmere
Household size in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.90 | 2.68 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.65 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Elsmere holds 2.77 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.54 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 38.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.1 | 39.3 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.6 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.0 | 40.4 | 43.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.9 | +1.9 | +3.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 36.0, Elsmere is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The median age has dropped from 38.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only one other Delaware city with 5,000+ people is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 11.8% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 11.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Elsmere (17.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Of the 37 Delaware cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Elsmere
Renters in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 30.2% | 26.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.8% | 32.1% | 28.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.4% | 32.7% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 33.2% | 27.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +3.0 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Elsmere rent their homes (32.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About three in ten owners (30.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 9.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 6.9% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.4% of homes in Elsmere are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 37 Delaware cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1964 | 1979 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1965 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1965 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1968 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Elsmere is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1952 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Elsmere has the oldest homes of any Delaware city with 5,000+ people.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $945 | $1,049 | $1,037 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,011 | $1,147 | $1,109 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,172 | $1,281 | $1,228 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,331 | $1,631 | $1,514 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$387 | +$582 | +$477 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Elsmere costs $1,331 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $387 a month since 2006–10, up 41%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 40.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Elsmere
Bachelor's degrees in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 32.7% | 27.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 34.4% | 29.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 37.9% | 31.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Elsmere have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 37 Delaware cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.1% | 87.5% | 87.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.4% | 88.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.5% | 90.5% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.0% | 91.9% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Elsmere never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 0.8 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other Delaware city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Elsmere
| Period | Elsmere | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 8.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 6.3% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Elsmere is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Elsmere compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elsmere | 2.77 | 36.0 | 17.9% | 32.5% | 3.4% | 1955 | $1,331 | 16.5% | 79.0% | 5.6% |
| Wilmington | 2.45 | 42.4 | 14.9% | 33.8% | 7.2% | 1961 | $1,498 | 40.4% | 91.4% | 5.1% |
| Newport | 2.57 | 35.8 | 19.8% | 42.4% | 4.1% | 1959 | $1,043 | 18.4% | 86.8% | 4.8% |
| Wilmington Manor | 2.50 | 46.2 | 8.8% | 23.0% | 5.4% | 1959 | $1,229 | 21.9% | 81.2% | 3.1% |
| Rockland | 1.96 | 58.7 | 9.5% | 18.6% | 5.3% | 1976 | $2,570 | 75.2% | 99.2% | 4.2% |
| Winterthur | 1.99 | 66.1 | 1.4% | 11.5% | 2.7% | 1963 | $3,328 | 65.6% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Edgemoor | 2.13 | 43.4 | 13.6% | 41.0% | 6.9% | 1956 | $1,440 | 37.4% | 93.5% | 5.0% |
| New Castle | 2.69 | 39.8 | 15.4% | 35.6% | 6.0% | 1973 | $1,433 | 23.9% | 90.4% | 4.3% |
| Bellefonte | 2.36 | 42.1 | 14.8% | 31.3% | 3.8% | 1938 | $1,511 | 34.0% | 97.8% | 4.9% |
| Hockessin | 2.81 | 48.1 | 7.4% | 10.3% | 5.3% | 1983 | $2,467 | 65.5% | 96.1% | 1.6% |
| Yorklyn | 2.47 | 59.3 | 1.5% | 35.9% | 6.4% | 1967 | $1,579 | 89.0% | 99.3% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Caldwell, OH · Boxford, MA · Garrett, IN · Brewerton, NY · Brigantine, NJ · Bryans Road, MD · Bryson City, NC · Buena Vista, VA · Elberta, AL · Edna, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Elsmere. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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