New Castle County, Delaware

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.5 | 578,592 people · 2nd most distressed in Delaware
American Default Research

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New Castle County, DE falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.5 — 1632nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Delaware, it ranks 2nd of 3 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. New Castle County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.6 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Debt & Delinquency 68.6
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 83
Student Loan Delinquency 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Employment & Wages 49.4
Unemployment Rate 82
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 0
Income & Poverty 29.3
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 24.4
Uninsured Rate 26
Disability Rate 23

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How New Castle County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. New Castle County
New Castle County, DE 49.5 Normal —
Kent County, DE 61.4 Elevated +11.9
Salem County, NJ 59.9 Elevated +10.5
Kent County, MD 50.4 Elevated +0.9
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal -1.0
Gloucester County, NJ 45.0 Normal -4.5
Delaware County, PA 44.6 Normal -4.8
Chester County, PA 23.8 Healthy -25.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. New Castle County
Sarasota County, FL 49.5 Normal +0.0
Mercer County, NJ 49.3 Normal -0.1
Dauphin County, PA 49.3 Normal -0.2
San Luis Obispo County, CA 49.2 Normal -0.3
Adams County, CO 49.8 Normal +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for New Castle County as a CSV file.

Find Help in New Castle County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near New Castle County.

CCCS OF DELAWARE VALLEY, DBA CLARIFI
WILMINGTON
800-989-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseRental Help
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES OF NORTHERN DELAWARE, INC.
Wilmington
302-429-0794
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY HOUSING OF DELAWARE
Wilmington
302-652-3991
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NEIGHBORGOOD PARTNERS - NEWARK BRANCH
NEWARK
302-678-9400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, INCORPORATED
Wilmington
302-658-5404 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in Delaware →

Find an Attorney

Delaware State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Delaware State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 302-658-5279

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving New Castle County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) 302-575-0660
Delaware Volunteer Legal Services (DVLS) 302-478-8680
Legal Services Corporation of Delaware 302-575-0408

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Delaware →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for New Castle County, Delaware?

    New Castle County has a County Distress Index score of 49.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,632nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Delaware out of 3 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in New Castle County?

    The primary driver of distress in New Castle County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does New Castle County compare to neighboring counties?

    New Castle County (49.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kent County, DE (61.4); Salem County, NJ (59.9); Kent County, MD (50.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of New Castle County?

    New Castle County, Delaware has a population of approximately 578,592 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.