1st Advantage MortgageThe median Kent County household earns $74,477, and 11% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Delaware license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Kent County
- How much Kent County households make
- The Kent County job picture
- Kent County housing compared with Delaware
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Kent County
- Counties near Kent County
- Kent County households compared
- Borrowing situations common in Kent County
- Budget math at the Kent County median
- Lender oversight for Kent County
- Four steps for Kent County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Kent County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Kent County's population at 187,604; only 2 of Delaware's 3 county-level areas are larger. It covers 586 square miles of land, or about 320 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Dover, DE metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 27 places in the county (20 incorporated, 7 census-designated); the largest is Dover, with about 39,837 residents, or 21% of the county.
How much Kent County households make
At $74,477, the typical Kent County household income is 13% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 3rd among Delaware's 3 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Kent County | Difference from Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.4% | +1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.5% | +4.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.8% | 0.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.3% | -6.1 pts |
Some 19% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 36% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 10.6%, the same as the state's 10.4%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.408 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Kent County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
The Kent County job picture
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 13%. The sharpest difference from the state is in public administration, at 10% locally and 6% for Delaware. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.8% in Kent County. 19% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 9% work from home. 6.6% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Kent County | Compared with Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% | +0.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.5% | +1.3 pts |
| Public administration | 9.6% | +4.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.5% | +1.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.2% | -3.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.6% | +0.1 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Kent County housing compared with Delaware
Renters in Kent County pay a median of $1,354 a month, 3% below the Delaware figure of $1,401. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 53% of renter households here. Home values center on $316,600, or 4.3 years of median income. 73% of Kent County households own their home and 27% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1993.
| Cost | Kent County | Delaware figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,354/mo | $1,401/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $316,600 | $352,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 73% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 26% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 11.0% | 7.0% | n/a |
Because most Kent County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Kent County
27 Census places fall mainly inside Kent County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 106,676 residents, leaving about 43% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $43,558 in Rodney Village to $113,529 in Rising Sun-Lebanon. None of the 27 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | city | 39,837 | $60,199 | $1,344 | 5 mi |
| Smyrna | town | 13,165 | $67,048 | $1,534 | 15 mi |
| Milford | city | 12,803 | $59,464 | $1,260 | 14 mi |
| Clayton | town | 4,222 | $107,307 | $1,621 | 14 mi |
| Rising Sun-Lebanon | CDP | 4,163 | $113,529 | $1,755 | 0 mi |
| Camden | town | 4,106 | $63,267 | $1,836 | 3 mi |
| Harrington | city | 3,838 | $72,679 | $1,277 | 13 mi |
| Highland Acres | CDP | 3,752 | $102,356 | $1,583 | 2 mi |
| Dover Base Housing | CDP | 2,962 | $82,161 | $2,139 | 2 mi |
| Riverview | CDP | 2,596 | $93,162 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Kent Acres | CDP | 2,388 | $91,524 | $1,574 | 3 mi |
| Woodside East | CDP | 2,274 | $61,142 | n/a | 3 mi |
| Cheswold | town | 2,143 | $86,875 | $880 | 10 mi |
| Wyoming | town | 2,000 | $69,603 | $1,558 | 3 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Counties near Kent County
Caroline County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, New Castle County, is 34 miles off. Income ranges from $67,436 in Cumberland County to $112,826 in Queen Anne's County; 4 of these neighbors top Kent County's median. The list crosses into Maryland, New Jersey, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | - | $74,477 | $1,354/mo | 73% |
| Caroline County, MD | 24 mi | $68,457 | $1,105/mo | 72% |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 26 mi | $67,436 | $1,282/mo | 67% |
| Sussex County, DE | 31 mi | $81,497 | $1,238/mo | 82% |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 31 mi | $112,826 | $1,619/mo | 83% |
| Salem County, NJ | 34 mi | $79,960 | $1,253/mo | 71% |
| New Castle County, DE | 34 mi | $91,166 | $1,448/mo | 69% |
Kent County households compared
28% of Kent County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 6.6%, against 6.3% for Delaware.
| Measure | Kent County | Delaware statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 41.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.5% | 35.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.0% | 8.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 15.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.8% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Kent County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.9% |
| 60+ min | 10.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Kent County
Based on the Kent County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Long drives. With 19% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Kent County budgets.
- Rent squeeze. 53% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Budget math at the Kent County median
How much room does a median Kent County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $6,206 a month: gross income for a household at the Kent County median
- Median rent: $1,354, or 22 cents of every gross dollar
- $880: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Lender oversight for Kent County
Kent County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Delaware guide.
Four steps for Kent County borrowers
Quick steps for Kent County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Delaware borrowers.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Related local guides
The Delaware guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kent County a high-income county?
Its $74,477 median ranks 3rd of 3 Delaware counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Kent County?
$1,354 a month at the median, about 22% of median household income.
Does this page cover Dover?
Yes, along with the other 26 Census places in Kent County, such as Smyrna, Milford, Clayton.
Can Kent County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Delaware county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Kent County residents?
The Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner licenses consumer lenders in Delaware; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.