States › Delaware › Elsmere

Is Elsmere, DE expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,22130% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$73,278about $6,107/month · 16% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$225,80032% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 74% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.1 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $48,840 a year. That is $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Delaware cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Delaware. It is number 2 of 20 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Elsmere
$1,221
Edgemoor
$1,403
New Castle
$2,122
Pike Creek
$2,380
Millsboro
$2,093
Georgetown
$1,484
Wilmington Manor
$1,541

How much do households earn in Elsmere?

Under $25k
14.1%
$25k–50k
25.2%
$50k–100k
33.3%
$100k–150k
15.1%
$150k+
5.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 20.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Elsmere

SizeElsmereU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,243$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,404$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,620$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Elsmere overall?

Everyday prices in Delaware overall are same as the U.S. average (index 99.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
102
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
104
Other services
101
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Elsmere, so the Delaware figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Elsmere

🏛️ Property tax$1,834a year · 0.81% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$209a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Elsmere

Commute to work24.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home65.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line23.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Elsmere?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $346 a month less.

Renting
$1,221
Owning
$1,567

Owning assumes a typical $225,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $22,580 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Elsmere, DE?

Renting in Elsmere costs a median of about $1,221 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Delaware median is $1,693.

How much do I need to make to live in Elsmere?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $48,840 a year, or $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Elsmere cheap or expensive?

Elsmere is rated Cheap: rent takes 20.0% of the typical household income of $73,278. It ranks 2nd cheapest of 20 Delaware cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Elsmere?

The median homeowner in Elsmere pays $1,834 a year in property taxes, about 0.81% of the median home value.

Is Elsmere more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Delaware are same as the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Elsmere?

The median home value in Elsmere is $225,800, about 3.1 times the typical yearly household income.

6,203 people live in Elsmere. Numbers are typical (middle) values.