Beach, South Bethany, 2007, 2007
South Bethany’s story
56 years in pictures
Census counts: 24 in 1970, 451 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 7 maps from 1918 on.
- 1970South Bethany is settled
South BethanyDE
Trash day: MondayPhoto: Patrick Nouhailler's… · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
538
2025 Census estimate · +16.5% since 2020
Typical home
$1.24M
+12% in a year
Household income
$117K
median
Median age
68.7
years
Jobs based here
169
A job hub
Is South Bethany a good place to live?
78% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in South Bethany, where Delaware’s towns sit at 34% and U.S. towns at 29%. No town among the 38 in Delaware we compare has a higher median age than South Bethany. South Bethany’s trail density is 3.0 miles per square mile, above both Delaware’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4). South Bethany has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes South Bethany stand out
Where South Bethany beats most towns.
By the sea
South Bethany lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 45% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
45%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
510paid flood-insurance claims since 1978
4storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to South Bethany: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Bethany, and how to reach them.
PowerDelmarva Power18.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterArtesian Southern Sussex Regional water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
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 code1993019930 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 South Bethany.
Housing
Compared with most of Delaware and the rest of the country, more of South Bethany’s households own their home
100% of households own their home in South Bethany. Typical home values rose 12% in the year to September 2026.
$1.24MZillow home value
Typical home value
South Bethany$1.24M
Delaware$405K
+12%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
A job hub: South Bethany has 1.6 jobs for every working resident and draws in 167 commuters
Most working residents leave South Bethany for work: only 2% work in town. The median household income in South Bethany is $117,000. Jobs based in South Bethany grew to 169 in 2023, 39 more than in 2013.
2%work in town
| South Bethany | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 8.2% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 5.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In South Bethany2%
Bethany Beach8%
Dover7%
Wilmington5%
Rehoboth Beach3%
41 mi
median commute distance
169
jobs based in South Bethany
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
South Bethany stands out in Delaware and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
South Bethany’s FEMA risk score is 72 of 100. Since 1978, 510 flood insurance claims have been paid out in South Bethany.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Coastal floodingInland floodingHurricanes
510
paid flood claims since 1978
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In South Bethany, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
South Bethany has mild winters and warm summers. Of the 38 Delaware towns we compare, none has a lower July high than South Bethany.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–47°
Spring45–62°
Summer67–84°
Fall51–68°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
10.5%conserved
10.5%
conserved · 35 of 334 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Assawoman Canal | — | 9 |
| 2. Richard Hall Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Safety
Crime reported in South Bethany
3 crimes were reported in South Bethany in 2024: 3 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
South Bethany is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
3
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy South Bethany is
South Bethany beats the Delaware average on 23 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 8.2% of South Bethany adults report frequent mental distress. Of the 38 Delaware towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than South Bethany.
| South Bethany | Delaware towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.2% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 37% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 33% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Delaware
23 better4 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | South Bethany | DE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 2.5% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 3.2% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 18% | 9.1% |
Atlantic General Hospital
14.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 26 attractions →Assateague Island National Seashore and 14 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around South Bethany. Close and well known come first.
13 mi National SeashoreAssateague Island National Seashore2.3M visitors a year
35 mi Theme parkMorey's Piers11 mi Theme parkJolly Roger Amusement Park
30 mi MuseumUSCGC Tamaroa
18 mi LandmarkFort Miles
13 mi Theme parkTrimper's RidesSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Assateague 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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Bethany
18pages on South Bethany
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of South Bethany; the nearest are
Wor-Wic Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salisbury, MD25.8 mi$3,840 in-state tuitionSalisbury UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Salisbury, MD31.8 mi$11,084 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 South Bethany residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Delaware.
Small town
538 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About South Bethany
Town in Delaware, United States
South Bethany is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2020 census, South Bethany had a population of 451. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. South Bethany is popularly considered one of "The Quiet Resorts", along with its direct neighbor to the north, Bethany Beach, and its neighbor to the south, Fenwick Island. This is in contradistinction to the crowded atmosphere of the more popular Dewey Beach and the cosmopolitan bustle of nearby Rehoboth Beach. Assisting South Bethany's reputation as a "quiet" place is the presence of Delaware Seashore State Park – a six-mile-long barrier island providing a substantial buf…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- Area code
- 302
Questions about South Bethany
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Bethany, DE a good place to live?
South Bethany has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.