Moving to Wilmington, DE: 2026 Living Guide

Wilmington is Delaware’s largest city, a working downtown on the Christina River and Brandywine Creek with a big banking and corporate-law presence, a revived Riverfront, and neighborhoods like Trolley Square and Little Italy. It is also far more affordable than the Pennsylvania suburbs: the Census Bureau’s median home value in the city is $231,400, less than half of Chester County’s $485,600.

Wilmington suits people who work in the city’s banks, hospitals and law firms, Philadelphia commuters who want Amtrak and SEPTA at their doorstep, and buyers priced out of the Pennsylvania suburbs. Delaware has no statewide sales tax, which newcomers notice right away on big purchases like furniture and appliances.

This guide covers Wilmington’s numbers, neighborhoods, schools and the moving details our crews plan for on narrow city streets. For a quote, reach our Wilmington movers any time.

Planning a move to Wilmington? Call our Tri-State team at 410-499-8777 or get your price online.

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Where Is Wilmington, DE?

Wilmington sits in New Castle County in northern Delaware, where the Christina River and Brandywine Creek meet, near the point where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. Wikipedia places it approximately 33 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The city covers 10.90 square miles of land, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

I-95 and I-495 pass through the city, and US 13 and US 202 also serve it. The Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station downtown has Amtrak Northeast Corridor service to Washington, D.C., and Boston, plus SEPTA’s Wilmington/Newark Line to Philadelphia. DART First State runs about 30 bus lines. Wilmington Airport (ILG) in New Castle offers scheduled passenger flights, and Philadelphia International (PHL) is the nearest major hub.

Destination (from downtown)	Driving distance
Wilmington Airport (ILG)	7.0 miles
West Chester, PA	16.5 miles
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)	20.7 miles
Philadelphia City Hall	29.9 miles
Valley Forge National Historical Park	33.4 miles
King of Prussia Mall	36.8 miles
Lancaster, PA	49.3 miles
Baltimore Inner Harbor	74.0 miles
Harrisburg, PA	98.3 miles
Midtown Manhattan	125.4 miles

Road distances were calculated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data from Rodney Square downtown. I-95 traffic through the city and toward Philadelphia can change drive times a lot.

Wilmington Population & Demographics

The Census Bureau estimated Wilmington’s population at 73,512 on July 1, 2025, up from 70,898 in the 2020 Census. The median age is 37.0. About one in five residents (21.0%) is under 18, and 15.5% are 65 or older. The city’s median household income of $58,671 is lower than Delaware’s $84,954.

Measure	Wilmington city	Delaware
Population (July 1, 2025 estimate)	73,512	1,059,952
Population (2020 Census)	70,898	–
Median age (ACS 2020–2024)	37.0	–
Persons under 18	21.0%	–
Persons 65 and over	15.5%	–
Median household income (2020–2024)	$58,671	$84,954
Per capita income (2020–2024)	$40,332	–
Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+)	33.1%	35.8%
Owner-occupied housing rate	48.0%	–
Persons in poverty	21.4%	–
Mean travel time to work	23.5 minutes	–

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (2020–2024 American Community Survey and V2025 estimates); median age from Census Reporter (ACS 2024 5-year).

Is Wilmington Safe?

Wilmington’s crime numbers have been moving in the right direction. According to the Wilmington Police Department’s 2025 year-end figures, reported by WDEL, the city had 64 shooting incidents in 2025, the lowest in a single year since 2003 and 21% fewer than in 2024 (81). Part I crimes were down 52% compared with 2017 and down 8% overall from the prior year. There were 19 murder incidents in 2025.

As in any city, conditions vary block by block. The Wilmington Police Department publishes CompStat reports and a crime map on the city website. Look up the specific streets you are considering, and drive the area at different times of day before you sign.

Cost of Living in Wilmington

Wilmington is the budget-friendly option in this part of the Philadelphia region, especially compared with Chester County, Pennsylvania. Delaware’s lack of a statewide sales tax helps too.

Home Prices

Zillow’s Home Value Index puts the typical Wilmington home at $329,558 as of August 31, 2026, up 1.5% over the past year. Redfin reported a median sale price of $249,835 in August 2026, up 13.6% year over year, across 243 sales, with a median of 38 days on market and a Compete Score of 66, “somewhat competitive.”

The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 median value for owner-occupied homes in the city was $231,400, compared with $352,000 for Delaware and $332,700 nationally. Prices vary a lot from one neighborhood to the next, so compare recent sales on the specific blocks you like.

Rent

Zillow’s average Wilmington rent was $1,786 as of August 31, 2026, up 3.2% from a year earlier. Apartments.com showed an average of $1,611 a month in September 2026, up 1.6%:

Studio: $1,395
One bedroom: $1,611
Two bedrooms: $1,824
Three bedrooms: $2,173 or more

The Census median gross rent for 2020–2024 was $1,224 in the city, compared with $1,401 in Delaware and $1,413 nationally.

For people moving down from Chester County, the difference is striking. The Census median home value in Wilmington ($231,400) is less than half of Chester County’s ($485,600), and median rent is $539 a month lower ($1,224 versus $1,763). Keep in mind that Wilmington’s median household income ($58,671) is also well below Chester County’s ($127,208), so neighborhood-level prices and incomes vary a great deal. Delaware has no statewide sales tax, which helps when you are buying furniture, appliances and everything else a new home needs.

Best Neighborhoods in Wilmington

Trolley Square

Trolley Square was settled in the 1860s after the city’s trolley line pushed out into farmland, and its shopping complex opened in 1978. Today it is known as a hub for restaurants and nightlife. It suits young professionals and anyone who wants to walk to dinner. Expect tight street parking and narrow rowhome stairs on moving day.

Little Italy

Little Italy is anchored by St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, which hosts an annual Italian Festival every summer. The neighborhood is also home to long-running family restaurants like Mrs. Robino’s. It suits buyers who want city living on a budget and people who like knowing their neighbors. Avoid festival week for a move if you can.

The Riverfront

The Christina Riverfront was once a manufacturing and shipbuilding hub. Revitalization began in the late 1990s, and today the area has restaurants, the Delaware Children’s Museum and Frawley Stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Riverfront Wilmington says it welcomed more than 3 million visitors last year. It suits people who want to be close to downtown jobs, the train station and weekend activities.

Weather & Climate in Wilmington

Wilmington’s weather is a little milder than the Pennsylvania suburbs to the north. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for New Castle County Airport, as summarized on Wikipedia, show January averaging a high of 41.4°F and a low of 25.6°F, and July averaging a high of 86.8°F and a low of 68.3°F. The city gets 45.33 inches of precipitation and 20.2 inches of snow in an average year, and it averages 21 days a year with highs of 90°F or more.

May and mid-September through October are the most comfortable months to move. In summer, start early to beat the heat. In winter, watch the forecast and keep a backup date, since even a few inches of snow can make rowhome steps and narrow streets tricky.

Things to Do in Wilmington

Riverfront Wilmington

The Riverfront along the Christina River has restaurants, arts venues and family attractions. The Delaware Children’s Museum at 550 Justison Street has hands-on exhibits, and minor league baseball fans can catch the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a Washington Nationals affiliate, at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium.

Delaware Art Museum

At 2301 Kentmere Parkway, the Delaware Art Museum was founded in 1912 in honor of illustrator Howard Pyle. It holds the largest and most important collection of British Pre-Raphaelite art in the United States, plus works by Pyle, N.C. Wyeth and Frank Schoonover, and a nine-acre sculpture park behind the building.

Brandywine Park and the Brandywine Zoo

The Brandywine Zoo opened in 1905 on 4.7 acres inside Brandywine Park and is managed by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. It is a small, manageable zoo that works well for young kids.

Rockford Park and Rockford Tower

Rockford Park is part of Wilmington State Parks, and its landmark Rockford Tower is open to climb from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, May 1 through October 31.

The Grand Opera House

The Grand at 818 N. Market Street has entertained Wilmington since 1871. It runs three venues (Copeland Hall, The Baby Grand and The Playhouse on Rodney Square) and presents more than 120 performances a year, from touring Broadway shows to concerts and ballet.

Hagley Museum and Library

Just outside the city on more than 235 acres along the Brandywine, Hagley preserves the black powder mills E.I. du Pont founded in 1802, along with the first du Pont family home and garden in the United States and a 19th-century machine shop.

Where to Eat in Wilmington

Mrs. Robino’s

A family-owned Italian restaurant at 520 N. Union Street in Little Italy, near Trolley Square, Mrs. Robino’s makes fresh pasta and homemade sauce daily. It has been feeding multiple generations of Wilmington families.

Piccolina Toscana

At 1412 N. Dupont Street in Trolley Square, Piccolina Toscana has served Tuscan-inspired dinners for more than 30 years. It is open for dinner Monday through Saturday.

Chelsea Tavern

Directly across from the Grand Opera House at 821 N. Market Street, Chelsea Tavern is a gastropub serving made-from-scratch comfort food with 33 rotating craft beer taps. It is a natural pre-show dinner stop.

Jobs & Economy

Wilmington has long been a corporate and financial center. Delaware is the state of incorporation for 63% of the Fortune 500, and the city hosts major banking and credit card operations, including Bank of America, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase and Barclays. DuPont is a Fortune 500 company based in Wilmington.

Wikipedia lists the State of Delaware, ChristianaCare, the University of Delaware, Amazon, Nemours Children’s Health, DuPont and AstraZeneca among the area’s top employers. Commuters also head north to Philadelphia on SEPTA or I-95 and south toward Baltimore on Amtrak. The city’s mean commute is 23.5 minutes.

Schools in Wilmington

Wilmington is split among four public school districts: Brandywine, Christina, Red Clay Consolidated and Colonial. Which one serves your home depends on the exact address, so check with the district before you commit to a lease or purchase.

Families moving from Pennsylvania should know that the district map does not follow neighborhood names, so two homes a few blocks apart can be in different districts. Ask for the district in writing from your landlord or real estate agent, then verify it with the district office.

For higher education, Wilmington is home to Wilmington University, a University of Delaware Wilmington campus, Delaware Technical & Community College, Goldey-Beacom College, a Delaware State University presence, and Widener University Delaware Law School.

Wilmington Quick Facts

County	New Castle County
Status	Largest city in Delaware
ZIP codes	19801–19810 (plus several business and P.O. box ZIPs)
Area code	302
Land area	10.90 square miles
Population	73,512 (July 1, 2025 estimate)
Main highways	I-95, I-495, US 13, US 202
Train	Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station (Amtrak and SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line)
Airports	Wilmington Airport (ILG), 7.0 road miles; Philadelphia International (PHL), 20.7 road miles
Public school districts	Brandywine, Christina, Red Clay Consolidated, Colonial
Sales tax	None statewide in Delaware

Moving to Wilmington: Tips From Our Crew

Ask the city about curb space for the truck. Rowhome blocks in Trolley Square, Little Italy and much of the city have no driveways and limited parking. Contact the City of Wilmington ahead of time about what is required to hold street space for a moving truck, and ask your neighbors to leave room if they can.
Reserve elevators and loading docks downtown and on the Riverfront. Apartment buildings usually require an elevator reservation, set move hours and a certificate of insurance from your movers. Send the building’s rules to our Wilmington moving crew a few days ahead.
Plan around I-95. I-95 runs right through the city, and weekday rush hours can slow a moving truck coming from Pennsylvania or heading south. Early starts help.
Measure rowhome stairs. Many Wilmington rowhomes have narrow, steep staircases and tight turns. Measure the stairway and doorways before moving day so we know whether a sofa, box spring or dresser needs to come apart or go another way.
Skip festival and event weeks. The summer Italian Festival in Little Italy and big nights at the Riverfront and Grand Opera House fill nearby streets. Pick a different date for moves in those areas.
Moving from Pennsylvania? Update your paperwork. A move from PA to DE means a new driver’s license, vehicle registration and state tax situation. Check the Delaware DMV’s current deadlines when you set your moving date.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Wilmington

How much does it cost to hire movers in Wilmington?

Cost depends on how much you are moving, stairs and elevators, how close the truck can park, the distance and if you need packing or storage. A third-floor rowhome walk-up in Trolley Square and a house near Rockford Park are very different jobs. For a real number, call 410-499-8777. An owner calls you back within 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm.

Is Wilmington, DE a good place to live?

For many people, yes. Wilmington offers city amenities, a Riverfront, museums and parks, and Amtrak and SEPTA service, with home prices well below the Pennsylvania suburbs. Shootings in 2025 fell to their lowest level since 2003. Neighborhoods vary a lot, so visit the specific blocks you are considering.

Can I commute from Wilmington to Philadelphia?

Yes. SEPTA’s Wilmington/Newark Line and Amtrak both run from the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station downtown, and Philadelphia City Hall is 29.9 road miles away by car. Philadelphia International Airport is 20.7 road miles away.

Does Delaware have sales tax?

No. Delaware is one of five states without a statewide sales tax, along with Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. That can make furnishing a new home a little cheaper.

Which school district will my Wilmington home be in?

It depends on the address. The city is divided among the Brandywine, Christina, Red Clay Consolidated and Colonial school districts. Confirm your assignment with the district directly before you buy or sign a lease.

Move to Wilmington With A & M Friendly Movers

Our Tri-State office in Downingtown, PA serves Wilmington along with Philadelphia and Chester County. A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015, and our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors. With our Owner’s Promise, you talk to an owner, not a call center; if anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, and claims are resolved in 60–90 days. We handle local moves, long-distance moves between Pennsylvania and Delaware, packing and storage. Visit our Wilmington movers page or call 410-499-8777. PA PUC A-8927313.