What percentage of people rent in Lewes, DE?

Name: Renters and owners in Lewes, DE, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

12.9% (±6.1 points) of the occupied homes in Lewes, DE are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 225 renting households against 1,522 that own their home.

In Lewes, the share of households that rent went from 19.0% in 2015–2019 to 12.9% in 2020–2024 (−6.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 12.9% (±6.1 points)
Renting households: 225 (±111)
Median renter income: $14,185 (±$9,959)

Who rents and who owns in Lewes

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Lewes	Sussex County	Delaware	United States
Renter-occupied share	12.9% (±6.1 points)	18.4% (±1.1 points)	27.0% (±0.6 points)	34.8%
Renting households	225 (±111)	19,590 (±1,218)	108,655 (±2,227)	45,017,354
Owning households	1,522 (±137)	86,851 (±1,368)	293,383 (±2,598)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	1.3 (±0.2)	2.5 (±0.1)	2.3 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.0 (±0.2)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$14,185 (±$9,959)	$48,780 (±$1,619)	$53,493 (±$2,125)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$119,803 (±$30,474)	$89,792 (±$1,967)	$100,053 (±$1,445)	$100,009

In Lewes, the renter share is not measurably different from Sussex County (18.4%).

It is also lower than in Delaware (27.0%).

It is lower than the national figure (34.8%).

In Sussex County, Lewes ranks 17 of 27 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 57 of 78.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Lewes has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	19.0% (±5.8 points)	12.9% (±6.1 points)	−6.1 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,065 (±$194)	$381 (±$242)	−64.2%	Down after inflation
Median household income	$88,984 (±$20,140)	$96,393 (±$32,008)	+8.3%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Lewes

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Lewes
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Lewes	—	12.9% (±6.1 points)	—
Henlopen Acres	4.8 mi	0.0% (±31.7 points)	Not measurably different
Rehoboth Beach	5.4 mi	19.2% (±6.2 points)	Not measurably different
Dewey Beach	6.8 mi	12.2% (±7.7 points)	Not measurably different
Milton	9.0 mi	19.5% (±7.7 points)	Not measurably different
Long Neck	11 mi	7.9% (±4.2 points)	Not measurably different
Slaughter Beach	13 mi	2.2% (±3.1 points)	Lower
Georgetown	15 mi	49.5% (±8.7 points)	Higher
Cape May Point Borough	15 mi	2.4% (±4.9 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Slaughter Beach, DE (2.2%), Cape May Point Borough, NJ (2.4%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Georgetown, DE (49.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Sussex County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
11	Ellendale	20.0% (±14.4 points)
12	Milton	19.5% (±7.7 points)
13	Rehoboth Beach	19.2% (±6.2 points)
14	Selbyville	16.0% (±9.3 points)
15	Dagsboro	15.9% (±8.9 points)
16	Lincoln	15.4% (±15.4 points)
17	Lewes	12.9% (±6.1 points)
18	Dewey Beach	12.2% (±7.7 points)
19	Long Neck	7.9% (±4.2 points)
20	Ocean View	7.0% (±3.1 points)
21	Bethany Beach	6.3% (±3.9 points)
22	Fenwick Island	5.4% (±3.1 points)
23	Millville	5.3% (±3.5 points)

Showing 13 of 27 places in Sussex County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Lewes

How many renters are there in Lewes?

Lewes has an estimated 225 (±111) renting households, 12.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Lewes?

In Lewes, the share of households that rent went from 19.0% in 2015–2019 to 12.9% in 2020–2024 (−6.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Lewes?

A renting household in Lewes has 1.3 people on average, against 2.0 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Lewes?

The median renting household in Lewes, DE has an income of $14,185 (±$9,959) a year, against $119,803 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Lewes city, Delaware (place:41830, in state:10).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.