Poverty and living standards in Delaware, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 10.1% of people in Delaware lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 103,364 people; joint 13th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Delaware gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Delaware was 11.2% (106,227 people), so the rate is down 1.1 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Delaware?
14.2% of children under 18 in Delaware were in poverty in 2024, about 29,811 children; 26th highest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 15.6% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Delaware?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Delaware was 0.4478 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); joint 8th least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Delaware are cost-burdened?
50.3% of renting households in Delaware spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 24.2% spent half or more; the 30% share is 22nd highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Delaware get food stamps?
10.0% of households in Delaware (41,214) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 20th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 39% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 61% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Delaware?
An average of 118,828 people in Delaware received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), up 0.5% on fiscal 2024 (118,186), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Delaware?
SNAP benefits paid in Delaware totaled $260.40 million in fiscal 2025, an average of $182.62 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 24th smallest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Delaware?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 1,573 people experiencing homelessness in Delaware, up 15.8% on 2024 (1,358) and up 70.8% on 2019 (921); 5th smallest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Delaware sleep outside?
Of those counted in Delaware in January 2025, 1,406 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 167 (10.6%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 5th lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Delaware?
The January 2025 count in Delaware included 674 people in families with children, 420 children under 18, 237 chronically homeless individuals and 94 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Delaware are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 11.3% of households in Delaware were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; joint 24th lowest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Delaware getting worse?
4.0% of households in Delaware had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 9.9% in 2018-20 and 12.9% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.4 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Delaware compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Delaware ranks 39 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Wisconsin | 10.3% |
| 37 | Alaska | 10.3% |
| 38 | Connecticut | 10.1% |
| 39 | Delaware | 10.1% |
| 40 | Washington | 10.0% |
| 41 | Hawaii | 10.0% |
| 42 | Wyoming | 10.0% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Delaware ranks 26 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Missouri | 15.3% |
| 24 | Arizona | 15.2% |
| 25 | California | 14.6% |
| 26 | Delaware | 14.2% |
| 27 | Illinois | 14.1% |
| 28 | Iowa | 13.1% |
| 29 | Oregon | 13.0% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Delaware ranks 44 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Indiana | 0.4523 |
| 42 | Minnesota | 0.4521 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 0.4478 |
| 44 | Delaware | 0.4478 |
| 45 | Nebraska | 0.4458 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 0.4433 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | 0.4419 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Delaware ranks 22 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Rhode Island | 51.1% |
| 20 | Washington | 50.7% |
| 21 | Mississippi | 50.3% |
| 22 | Delaware | 50.3% |
| 23 | Tennessee | 50.2% |
| 24 | Maine | 50.2% |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 49.4% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Delaware ranks 32 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Texas | 10.3% |
| 30 | Maryland | 10.3% |
| 31 | Arizona | 10.2% |
| 32 | Delaware | 10.0% |
| 33 | South Carolina | 9.5% |
| 34 | Tennessee | 9.4% |
| 35 | Missouri | 9.3% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Delaware ranks 28 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Alabama | 11.5% |
| 26 | California | 11.4% |
| 27 | Idaho | 11.3% |
| 28 | Delaware | 11.3% |
| 29 | North Carolina | 10.9% |
| 30 | Maine | 10.9% |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | 10.8% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Delaware ranks 47 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Rhode Island | 2,373 |
| 45 | Montana | 2,263 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 1,925 |
| 47 | Delaware | 1,573 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 1,450 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 1,245 |
| 50 | North Dakota | 861 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Delaware ranks 47 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Maryland | 12.7% |
| 45 | Maine | 11.6% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 10.8% |
| 47 | Delaware | 10.6% |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 9.1% |
| 49 | Vermont | 8.0% |
| 50 | Massachusetts | 6.2% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Delaware ranks 44 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Rhode Island | 143,670 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | 140,907 |
| 43 | Idaho | 133,123 |
| 44 | Delaware | 118,828 |
| 45 | Montana | 79,828 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 75,857 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 75,176 |
More on Delaware: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.