New Castle, DE

Census place 1050800 · pop 5,579

D54/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in DE
📍 Delaware ranks #47 of 50 states →
🏆 Inequality0.37 · top 10%
🚽 Property crime3584/100k · bottom 7%
Taxes
0.52% property · US 0.99%None sales · US 7.00%up to 6.60% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Property crime rate3584/100k7

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

3584 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Violent crime rate396/100k25

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

396 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level4 days41

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

4 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level91/10045

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

91/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership63.4%49

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

63.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Housing cost$285,10049

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$285,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,719/mo52

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,719/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Physical inactivity24.7%52

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

24.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Commute time23 min55

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher33.8%57

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

33.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity33.2%60

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access93.0%62

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$89,20566

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$89,205 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult smoking11.3%70

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

11.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Population growth (5yr)+6.4%70

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+6.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Uninsured adults7.6%70

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health15.1%77

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate4.7%88

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

4.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Property-tax burden0.52%89

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.52% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Income inequality0.3790

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.37 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Frequently asked

Is New Castle, DE a good place to live?
By the numbers, New Castle scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is property crime rate. Delaware overall ranks #47 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is New Castle, DE?
New Castle reports 396 violent crimes per 100k and 3584 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is New Castle, DE expensive to live in?
New Castle has a median home value of $285,100 and typical rent around $1,719/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in New Castle, DE?
Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (3584/100k) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is New Castle, DE best at?
Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.37) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.