Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Delaware grades A overall, ranked 145th of 987 in Ohio, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its public schools beat 92% of Ohio towns on state tests and graduation and the median household earns $100K. It also does better than most on health: residents are healthier than 82% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $413K, 5 years of the Columbus metro’s $82K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns, with 24 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include Delaware County Courthouse and St. Mary's Church and Rectory. 48% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Delaware, where Ohio’s towns sit at 24% and U.S. towns at 29%. Delaware is home to Ohio Wesleyan University.
Where Delaware beats most towns.
Delaware County Courthouse| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Robert F Schultz Elementary School | K–5 | 777 |
| Laura Woodward Elementary School | PK–5 | 621 |
| Ervin Carlisle Elementary School | K–5 | 533 |
Its 24 National Register listings are more than in 96% of Ohio towns with a listing.
Census counts: 200 in 1810, 41,302 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 4 maps from 1924 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Delaware is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Delaware. Close and well known come first.
Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaOhio Stadium
9 mi Zoo & aquariumColumbus Zoo and Aquarium
20 mi Stadium & arenaHistoric Crew Stadium
22 mi Stadium & arenaScottsMiracle-Gro Field
20 mi Stadium & arenaValue City Arena
20 mi LandmarkHarding TombOhio Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Adolphus79 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Historic Crew Stadium: Rick Dikeman, CC BY-SA 3.0 · ScottsMiracle-Gro Field: Nova Crystallis, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Value City Arena: Nick81aku at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Harding Tomb: User:Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Delaware, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Delaware.
The median property tax bill is $4,326, against $2,822 across Ohio, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
65% of Delaware households own their home. The typical Delaware home is worth about $413,000, up 0.6% in a year, 68% above the Ohio typical home. Delaware’s median rent is $1,286 a month.
| Delaware | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 65% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,286 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 44% | 42% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Delaware City school district. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| John C Dempsey Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,278 | B− |
| Rutherford B Hayes High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,612 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
13 miles of trail in 27 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Mingo Park, at 48 acres. The trail density in Delaware is 0.6 miles per square mile.
| Delaware | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.1% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mingo Park | 0.8 mi | 48 |
| 2. Delaware City Wetlands Park | 0.8 mi | 24 |
| 3. Stratford Woods Park | 0.6 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
19% of adults binge drink in Delaware. Delaware beats the Ohio average on 19 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 11% of adults report frequent physical distress in Delaware.
| Delaware | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | Delaware | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.9% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 14.1% |
| More binge drinkers | 19.4% | 16.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Delaware has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 20° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Delaware for work: only 16% work in town. Since 2013, Delaware has added 1,007 jobs, to 15,692 in 2023. The top destinations are Columbus (32%), Dublin (6%) and Orange Township (4%).
| Delaware | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 19% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 13 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Delaware.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
6 within 15 miles of the center of Delaware
About 7 of every 100 Delaware residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Ohio.
34,753 counted in 2010 and 41,302 in 2020; an estimated 46,636 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 12.9% since 2020, after 18.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
24 places in Delaware on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Ohio, United States
Delaware is a city in Delaware County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located near the center of Ohio, about 30 miles (48 km) north of Columbus as part of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 41,302 at the 2020 census. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with Delaware.
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | #145 | A | C | B | A | A− |
| Delaware Township | #387 | B+ | C+ | — | B | A− |
| Troy Township | — | — | B | — | B | A− |
| Liberty Township | #50 | A+ | C− | — | A+ | A |
| Brown Township | — | — | C− | — | A− | A− |
| Scioto Township | #95 | A | B | — | A− | A− |
| Berlin Township | #80 | A | C | — | A+ | A |
| Concord Township | #424 | B | D | — | A− | A |
Troy Township and Brown Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Delaware Township, Troy Township, Liberty Township, Brown Township, Scioto Township, Berlin Township and Concord Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Delaware with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Delaware grades A overall, better than 86% of U.S. towns and #145 of 987 in Ohio. It grades A− for health, B for safety and A for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
