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Second Street in downtown Lewes, DelawareLewes, #1 on this list · Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0
Delaware rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Delaware

Lewes ranks first on civic life among Delaware’s 22 towns of 2,500+; 0 of the 22 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Lewes

Sussex County · 3,826 people
B+

Civic life grade, better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 37 in DE

#2

Ocean View

Sussex County · 3,107 people
B

Civic life grade, better than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #18 of 37 in DE

#3

Wilmington

New Castle County · 73,512 people
B

Civic life grade, better than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #32 of 37 in DE

All 22 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

22 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1LewesSussex County · 3,826 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 37
2Ocean ViewSussex County · 3,107 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #18 of 37
3WilmingtonNew Castle County · 73,512 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #32 of 37
4NewarkNew Castle County · 30,359 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #24 of 37
5DoverKent County · 40,592 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #37 of 37
6MiddletownNew Castle County · 25,798 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #14 of 37
7MilfordSussex County · 14,723 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #33 of 37
8MiltonSussex County · 3,860 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #10 of 37
9SmyrnaKent County · 13,340 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #31 of 37
10CamdenKent County · 4,176 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #27 of 37
11SelbyvilleSussex County · 3,381 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #16 of 37
12ClaytonKent County · 4,527 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #9 of 37
13HarringtonKent County · 3,974 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #19 of 37
14CheswoldKent County · 2,653 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #25 of 37
15TownsendNew Castle County · 2,985 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 37
16SeafordSussex County · 9,165 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #34 of 37
17GeorgetownSussex County · 8,291 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #36 of 37
18MillsboroSussex County · 7,890 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #26 of 37
19LaurelSussex County · 4,557 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #35 of 37
20New CastleNew Castle County · 5,726 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #17 of 37
21BridgevilleSussex County · 2,997 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #30 of 37
22ElsmereNew Castle County · 6,196 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #22 of 37
Not ranked

15 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Delaware town has the most civic life?

Lewes (Sussex County) ranks first on civic life among 22 towns, with a B+; Ocean View and Wilmington follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (22 in Delaware). 15 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Delaware page.

Go deeper

More Delaware lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Delaware rankings →
Best places to live37 towns · #1 TownsendBest small towns26 towns · #1 TownsendMost affordable towns37 towns · #1 Wilmington ManorSafest towns22 towns · #1 TownsendTowns with the best schools37 towns · #1 Lewes and MiltonHealthiest towns37 towns · #1 North StarBest towns for jobs & income37 towns · #1 Pike CreekMost walkable towns37 towns · #1 WilmingtonTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk37 towns · #1 Wilmington ManorBest towns for the outdoors37 towns · #1 LewesMost historic towns37 towns · #1 New CastleTowns with the least snow37 towns · #1 LaurelDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns37 towns · #1 BearDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters34 towns · #1 Ocean ViewDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers34 towns · #1 SeafordDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers34 towns · #1 Ocean ViewDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes37 towns · #1 HockessinDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes36 towns · #1 HarringtonDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns21 towns · #1 MilfordDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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