Bethany Beach, DE vs Wilmington, DE
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Nov 2026
Report card
| Category | Bethany BeachBethany Beach, DE | WilmingtonWilmington, DE | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Good | Soft | |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | Safe | High Risk | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Great | Good | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
804 people per square mile is the population density of Bethany Beach, DE, while Wilmington, DE has a density of 6,528 per square mile, 8.1 times higher according to 2023 Census figures. The two places differ sharply in size and income: Wilmington has a population of 71,124, which is 70,201 larger than Bethany Beach's 923 residents, and the median household income in Bethany Beach is $105,833, 91% higher than Wilmington's $55,269. The comfortable income for a family of 4 in Bethany Beach is $185,208, 2.9 times higher than Wilmington's $64,116, and the comfortable income for a single person follows a similar pattern at $125,992 versus $43,616.
The poverty rate in Wilmington is 23.2%, 20.4 percentage points higher than Bethany Beach's 2.8%, placing Wilmington in the 89th percentile and Bethany Beach in the 4th percentile. The median age in Bethany Beach is 66.4, 29.4 years older than Wilmington's 37, with Bethany Beach in the 99th percentile. The cost of living index is 179 in Bethany Beach, 92% higher than Wilmington's 93, and the median home value in Bethany Beach is $648,500, 2.9 times higher than Wilmington's $224,500.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Nov 2026.
Looking at homes in Bethany Beach or Wilmington?
Get a property report for a specific address.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Where they differ most
Where they're close
Cost of living
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 17987th pctl | 9342nd pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Bethany Beach, DE 179; Wilmington, DE 93; Bethany Beach is 92% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $648,50089th pctl | $224,50036th pctl | Median home value: Bethany Beach, DE $648,500; Wilmington, DE $224,500; Bethany Beach is 2.9 times higher. |
| Median rent | $1,68879th pctl | $1,18749th pctl | Median rent: Bethany Beach, DE $1,688; Wilmington, DE $1,187; Bethany Beach is 42% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $105,83381st pctl | $55,26921st pctl | Median household income: Bethany Beach, DE $105,833; Wilmington, DE $55,269; Bethany Beach is 91% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $125,99292nd pctl | $43,61635th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Bethany Beach, DE $125,992; Wilmington, DE $43,616; Bethany Beach is 2.9 times higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $185,20892nd pctl | $64,11635th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Bethany Beach, DE $185,208; Wilmington, DE $64,116; Bethany Beach is 2.9 times higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Stretched | Affordable | Housing affordability: Bethany Beach, DE C-; Wilmington, DE B+; Wilmington is graded higher. |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Wilmington needs about
$39,000
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 179 vs 93). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.8%57th pctl | 3.9%62nd pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +3.8%94th pctl | +1.2%55th pctl | Job growth (YoY): Bethany Beach, DE +3.8%; Wilmington, DE +1.2%; Bethany Beach is 2.6 points higher. |
| Per-capita income | $88,55395th pctl | $38,78653rd pctl | Per-capita income: Bethany Beach, DE $88,553; Wilmington, DE $38,786; Bethany Beach is 2.3 times higher. |
| Poverty rate | 2.8%4th pctl | 23.2%89th pctl | Poverty rate: Bethany Beach, DE 2.8%; Wilmington, DE 23.2%; Wilmington is 20.4 points higher. |
| Work from home | 31.3%96th pctl | 14.5%68th pctl | Work from home: Bethany Beach, DE 31.3%; Wilmington, DE 14.5%; Bethany Beach is 16.8 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Strong | Weak | Economic opportunity: Bethany Beach, DE B+; Wilmington, DE D-; Bethany Beach is graded higher. |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
1 row not shown: average commute isn't available for Bethany Beach, DE.
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 71693rd pctl | 1,14799th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Bethany Beach, DE 716; Wilmington, DE 1,147; Wilmington is 60% higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 5,909100th pctl | 2,86691st pctl | Property crime per 100k: Bethany Beach, DE 5,909; Wilmington, DE 2,866; Bethany Beach is 2.1 times higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Rising | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Safe | Dangerous | Crime & safety: Bethany Beach, DE B; Wilmington, DE F; Bethany Beach is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | DangerousCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Traffic safety: Bethany Beach, DE F; Wilmington, DE B-; Wilmington is graded higher. |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| ClimateClimate comfort | Comfortable | Comfortable | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | Tap water: Bethany Beach, DE B+; Wilmington, DE A; Wilmington is graded higher. |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
3 rows not shown: broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Delaware, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Delaware →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 160 mi55th pctl | 105 mi49th pctl | Nearest large city: Bethany Beach, DE 160 mi; Wilmington, DE 105 mi; Bethany Beach is 53% higher. |
| Target proximity | Good | Weak | Target proximity: Bethany Beach, DE A-; Wilmington, DE C; Bethany Beach is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 353 mi54th pctl | 266 mi38th pctl | Distance to international border: Bethany Beach, DE 353 mi; Wilmington, DE 266 mi; Bethany Beach is 32% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 1 mi1st pctl | 62 mi24th pctl | Distance to coastline: Bethany Beach, DE 1 mi; Wilmington, DE 62 mi; Wilmington is 61 mi higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Bethany Beach, DE | Wilmington, DE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9235th pctl | 71,12482nd pctl | Population: Bethany Beach, DE 923; Wilmington, DE 71,124; Wilmington is 70,201 larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 80421st pctl | 6,52895th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Bethany Beach, DE 804; Wilmington, DE 6,528; Wilmington is 8.1 times higher. |
| Median age | 66.499th pctl | 3741st pctl | Median age: Bethany Beach, DE 66.4; Wilmington, DE 37; Bethany Beach is 29.4 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.8%91st pctl | 33.1%52nd pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Bethany Beach, DE 64.8%; Wilmington, DE 33.1%; Bethany Beach is 31.7 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 24th pctl | 2.113th pctl | Average household size: Bethany Beach, DE 2; Wilmington, DE 2.1; Wilmington is 10% larger. |
More about Bethany Beach's residents · Wilmington's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | Bethany BeachBethany Beach, DE | WilmingtonWilmington, DE |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | D+8 | D+8 |
| 2024 presidential | D +14.7 ptsState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | D +14.7 ptsState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. |
Full politics data: Bethany Beach · Wilmington
Moving between Bethany Beach and Wilmington
- Median rent: $1,688 in Bethany Beach, $1,187 in Wilmington
- Median home value: $648,500 in Bethany Beach, $224,500 in Wilmington
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 179 in Bethany Beach, 93 in Wilmington
- Median household income: $105,833 in Bethany Beach, $55,269 in Wilmington
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $185,208 in Bethany Beach, $64,116 in Wilmington
- Unemployment: 3.8% in Bethany Beach, 3.9% in Wilmington
- Violent crime per 100k: 716 in Bethany Beach, 1,147 in Wilmington
Weigh these by what matters to you
ReloMaps in ChatGPT can look at Bethany Beach and Wilmington against your own priorities, like budget, commute or climate.
Use ReloMaps in ChatGPT →Found a home in Bethany Beach or Wilmington?
A property report covers the address itself: the block, the neighbourhood data, risks and more, beyond these city-wide figures.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Compare a different pair
More places like Bethany Beach and Wilmington
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
ReloMaps may earn a commission from affiliate links at no extra cost to you.