Population 577,961 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in New Castle County
Household size in New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.68 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.65 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in New Castle County average 2.61 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has edged down from 2.66 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the northeast.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 38.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 39.3 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.8 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 40.4 | 43.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.9 | +3.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in New Castle County are younger than 41.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 11.8% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 11.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in New Castle County than nationally: 13.1%, against 11.6%. The Philadelphia area as a whole looks much the same.
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 New Castle County
Renters in New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 30.2% | 26.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 32.1% | 28.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.1% | 32.7% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.0% | 33.2% | 27.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +3.0 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in New Castle County own their homes; 31.0% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About a third of owners (33.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.9% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in New Castle County than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Philadelphia area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.8 points, mirroring the country.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1964 | 1979 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1965 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1965 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1968 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in New Castle County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Philadelphia area overall, where the median home dates to 1968. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,106 | $1,049 | $1,037 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,169 | $1,147 | $1,109 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,316 | $1,281 | $1,228 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,596 | $1,631 | $1,514 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$490 | +$582 | +$477 | +$606 |
Rent in New Castle County runs $1,596 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $490 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 New Castle County
Bachelor's degrees in New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 32.7% | 27.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 34.4% | 29.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 37.9% | 31.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.9% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in New Castle County (39.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.5 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the east.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 87.5% | 87.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 88.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 90.5% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 91.9% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in New Castle County is above the national rate: 92.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Philadelphia area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 New Castle County
| Period | New Castle County | Philadelphia area | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.2% | 8.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 6.3% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.8%, unemployment in New Castle County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider Philadelphia area (6.1%). Unemployment has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
New Castle County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 2.61 | 41.0 | 13.1% | 31.0% | 6.1% | 1976 | $1,596 | 39.9% | 92.6% | 4.8% |
| Salem County | 2.60 | 42.0 | 12.2% | 29.0% | 10.7% | 1963 | $1,279 | 25.0% | 90.1% | 7.8% |
| Cecil County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 11.4% | 24.7% | 8.4% | 1986 | $1,403 | 27.8% | 91.7% | 5.9% |
| Gloucester County | 2.75 | 40.5 | 11.1% | 19.9% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,601 | 37.9% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Harford County | 2.65 | 41.7 | 9.6% | 20.3% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,682 | 40.4% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
| Carroll County | 2.71 | 42.3 | 8.1% | 15.7% | 4.8% | 1982 | $1,567 | 40.9% | 95.3% | 3.6% |
| Washington County | 2.55 | 41.2 | 13.5% | 33.2% | 7.6% | 1976 | $1,207 | 24.3% | 88.6% | 4.4% |
| Morgan County | 2.36 | 49.3 | 9.8% | 15.9% | 18.8% | 1986 | $876 | 18.2% | 88.9% | 3.7% |
| Allegany County | 2.28 | 42.9 | 11.2% | 29.3% | 15.9% | 1959 | $810 | 21.2% | 90.6% | 4.9% |
| Garrett County | 2.27 | 46.3 | 8.7% | 20.3% | 20.7% | 1980 | $827 | 24.9% | 90.1% | 4.8% |
| Preston County | 2.42 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 18.5% | 12.9% | 1984 | $846 | 18.3% | 86.4% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Monmouth County, NJ · Arapahoe County, CO · Bucks County, PA · Kent County, MI · Providence County, RI · Stanislaus County, CA · Ada County, ID · Ocean County, NJ · Pasco County, FL · Passaic County, NJ
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 New Castle County. 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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