Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Bethany Beach’s subject grades are an A for walkability and health and an A− for incomes; the weakest is a D− for safety. 66% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Bethany Beach, against 34% in Delaware’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. No town in Delaware scores lower than Bethany Beach on safety. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Bethany Beach’s trail density is 2.7 miles per square mile, above both the Delaware town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). No town in Delaware scores higher than Bethany Beach on civic life. Bethany Beach has 1 place on the National Register. Bethany Beach has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Bethany Beach beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Delaware), ordered by how far Bethany Beach is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 56 in 1910, 954 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 7 maps from 1918 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bethany Beach, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bethany Beach.
The typical Bethany Beach home is worth about $940,000, up 5.9% in a year, more than twice the Delaware typical home. 94% of Bethany Beach households own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The property crime rate in Bethany Beach is 59.1 per 1,000 residents. Bethany Beach reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. The violent crime rate in Bethany Beach is 7.2 per 1,000 residents.
| Bethany Beach | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 59.1 per 1,000 residents | 17.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.2 per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Most working residents leave Bethany Beach for work: only 10% work in town. Bethany Beach’s median household income is $117,000. Since 2013, Bethany Beach has added 542 jobs, to 931 in 2023.
| Bethany Beach | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 1.7% | 8.2% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.6% | 5.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
9% of adults report frequent mental distress in Bethany Beach. Of the 38 Delaware towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Bethany Beach. 13% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bethany Beach.
| Bethany Beach | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 37% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 33% | 33% |
| What stands out | Bethany Beach | DE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 3.1% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 2.1% | 7.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 17.8% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Bethany Beach has mild winters and warm summers. Of the 38 Delaware towns we compare, none has a lower July high than Bethany Beach.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.2 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bethany Beach Nature Center & Conservation Area | 0.1 mi | 23 |
| 2. Assawoman Canal | — | 10 |
| 3. Bethany Beach Central Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 397 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bethany Beach.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bethany Beach. Close and well known come first.
15 mi National SeashoreAssateague Island National Seashore2.3M visitors a year
34 mi Theme parkMorey's Piers12 mi Theme parkJolly Roger Amusement Park
30 mi MuseumUSCGC Tamaroa
17 mi LandmarkFort Miles
15 mi Theme parkTrimper's RidesAssateague Island National Seashore: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Morey's Piers: Smallbones, CC0 · USCGC Tamaroa: Unknown USCG member, Public domain · Fort Miles: Unknown, Public domain · Trimper's Rides: Mttbme, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Bethany Beach; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Bethany Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Delaware.
Where Bethany Beach’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Delaware, United States
Bethany Beach is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethany Beach had a population of 954. However, during the summer months some 15,000 more populate the town as vacationers. It is part of the Salisbury, MD-DE Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bethany Beach, South Bethany and Fenwick Island are popularly known as "The Quiet Resorts". Contributing to Bethany Beach's reputation as a "quiet" place is the presence of Delaware Seashore State Park immediately to the north of the town. Despite its small size, Bethany Beach contains the usual attractions of a summer seaside resort, including the short Joseph Olson Boardwalk, a broad, sandy beach, mo…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 11.5 years of the area's median household income ($81,497 across the Seaford, DE area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
