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Living in Newark, DE

College town in Delaware

Newark is a college town in Delaware, home to about 30,000 people, with 775,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Newark a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Easy flying: PHL is 30 mi away
  • Strong public schools: test results well above the US average
  • Great outdoors: plenty of parks
  • Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Newark ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
30,000
775,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
45°F / 86°F
Average daily highs · 20″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$325k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,170/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
103
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,739
State income tax per resident · 0.81% property tax
Safety
0.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 16 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
57%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PHL
30 mi away

Living in Newark: common questions

What is the cost of living in Newark?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $325k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,170 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 103, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Newark?

Delaware collects about $2,739 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.81% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Newark safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Newark?

Public schools in Newark test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Newark?

Newark has cold winters: winter days average around 45°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 20″ of snow a year.

Does Newark get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.46 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Newark?

The nearest major airport is PHL, about 30 mi away.

How Newark scores

Each bar compares Newark with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketGood
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationGood
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyGood
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Newark

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Charlottesville, VACollege town60 $466k$2,220/moSafe Blacksburg, VACollege town65 $394k$1,710/moVery safe Kent, OHSuburb69 $246k$1,550/moVery safe Ann Arbor, MICollege town70 $471k$1,990/moVery safe Millcreek, UTSuburb67 $607k$2,330/moNo crime data Pullman, WACollege town63 $408k$1,630/moVery safe

Nearby

Wilmington, DESmall city · 13 mi away64 $296k$2,170/moHigher crime Chester, PASuburb · 23 mi away59 $99k$2,170/moHigher crime Ridley, PASuburb · 27 mi away76 $287k$2,170/moNo crime data Drexel Hill, PASuburb · 30 mi away74 $276k$2,170/moNo crime data Radnor, PASuburb · 31 mi away76 $933k$2,170/moNo crime data Tredyffrin, PASuburb · 31 mi away76 $771k$2,170/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Delaware.

Is Newark right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.