Bethel Historic District · National Register of Historic Places
Bethel’s story
186 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1840Bethel is settled
BethelDE
Photo: Cortlandt Van Dyke Hubbard, Photographer · Public domain
Population
274
2025 Census estimate · +15.6% since 2020
Typical home
$363K
−0.7% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
54.5
years
Jobs based here
2
A commuter town
Is Bethel a good place to live?
Bethel’s median age is 54.5 years, above both Delaware’s towns (40.4 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). No town among the 38 in Delaware we compare has a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Bethel. Cannon's Ferry and Bethel Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bethel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bethel stand out
Where Bethel beats most towns.
Small town
274 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bethel: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bethel, and how to reach them.
PowerDelmarva Power18.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bethel’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Delaware you can register online until 24 days before Election Day, in person until 24 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 24 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDepartment of Elections - Sussex County OfficeSussex County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2019
ZIP code1993119931 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bethel.
Work & commute
Bethel has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
At $99,000, Bethel’s median household income is against $81,000 in Delaware’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. Bethel’s average trip to work is 27 minutes. The top destinations are Salisbury (12%), Seaford (9%) and Laurel (8%).
0%work in town
| Bethel | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bethel0%
Salisbury12%
Seaford9%
Laurel8%
Wilmington5%
19 mi
median commute distance
2
jobs based in Bethel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Delaware overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 49% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 13% of residents (21% statewide). Bethel has grown 16% since 2020, to 274 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 23% of residents are 65 or older in Bethel.
54.5median age · DE 41.6
| Bethel | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 34% | 29% |
BethelDelawareUnited States
Ages · share of residents
27%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school33%
Some college9%
Associate’s18%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 32% and 61% women
The Census survey reached too few of Bethel’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±14.3 points. Across Delaware, 51.6% of residents are women.
| Bethel | DE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.7% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.6% | 11.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 26.9% | 14% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.1% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.6% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5% | 8.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.2% | 28.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 8.6% | 18.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 17.6% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.9% | 20.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.6% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Bethel has four seasons and hot summers
Bethel has chilly winters and warm summers. Only 1 of the 38 Delaware towns we compare have a higher July high than Bethel.
8″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–48°
Spring44–67°
Summer65–86°
Fall48–70°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults report frequent physical distress in Bethel than in most of Delaware or the rest of the country
20% of Bethel adults report frequent physical distress. Only 1 of the 38 Delaware towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Bethel. 30% of Bethel adults feel lonely.
| Bethel | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Delaware
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Bethel | DE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.4% | 78.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.3% | 7.1% |
Tidalhealth Nanticoke
5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A larger share of households in Bethel own their home than in the typical Delaware or U.S. town
Only 1 of the 38 Delaware towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Bethel. The typical Bethel home is worth about $363,000, down 0.7% in a year, 10% below the Delaware typical home.
$363KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bethel$363K
Delaware$405K
−0.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Bethel, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities.
42risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bethel
16pages on Bethel
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bethel; the nearest are
Wor-Wic Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salisbury, MD15.1 mi$3,840 in-state tuitionSalisbury UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Salisbury, MD15.5 mi$11,084 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Bethel residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Delaware.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Bethel for work
Where Bethel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2jobs based in Bethel
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bethel
Town in Delaware, United States
Bethel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2020 Census Bureau figures, the population of the town is 239.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1840
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 16 ft
- ZIP code
- 19931
- Area code
- 302
Questions about Bethel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bethel, DE a good place to live?
Bethel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.