Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Delaware?
Only a third of Delawareans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Delaware don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Delaware cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 21 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the First State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, North Star is the happiest place in Delaware.
For more Delaware reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Delaware For 2023
/10
Population: 7,852
Poverty Level: 16.1%
Median Home Price $175,100
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 36.54%
More on Seaford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 23,001
Poverty Level: 7.3%
Median Home Price $315,900
Married Households 13.0%
Households With Kids 35.24%
More on Middl: Data
/10
Population: 7,079
Poverty Level: 18.5%
Median Home Price $227,400
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 41.33%
More on Georg: Data
/10
Population: 6,167
Poverty Level: 15.8%
Median Home Price $183,700
Married Households 13.0%
Households With Kids 30.64%
More on Elsmere: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 12,619
Poverty Level: 13.8%
Median Home Price $225,900
Married Households 18.0%
Households With Kids 37.29%
More on Smyrna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 14,202
Poverty Level: 12.5%
Median Home Price $219,600
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 31.33%
More on Brookside: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 11,249
Poverty Level: 17.7%
Median Home Price $220,200
Married Households 7.0%
Households With Kids 29.02%
More on Milford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,508
Poverty Level: 13.3%
Median Home Price $219,100
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 20.36%
More on Claymont: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 21,625
Poverty Level: 9.0%
Median Home Price $238,200
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 27.49%
More on Bear: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 38,940
Poverty Level: 20.5%
Median Home Price $197,600
Married Households 8.0%
Households With Kids 28.05%
More on Dover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The First State
To rank the unhappiest places in Delaware, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 21 places in Delaware with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 21 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Delaware.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Delaware.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Delaware
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Delaware is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Delaware, according to science:
- North Star
- Newark
- Hockessin
For more Delaware reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Delaware
- Cheapest Places To Live In Delaware
- Most Dangerous Cities In Delaware
- Richest Cities In Delaware
- Safest Places In Delaware
- Worst Places To Live In Delaware
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Delaware
Miserable Cities In Delaware For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaford, DE | 7,852 | 16.1% | $175,100 | 12.0% | 36.54% |
| 2 | Middl, DE | 23,001 | 7.3% | $315,900 | 13.0% | 35.24% |
| 3 | Georg, DE | 7,079 | 18.5% | $227,400 | 10.0% | 41.33% |
| 4 | Elsmere, DE | 6,167 | 15.8% | $183,700 | 13.0% | 30.64% |
| 5 | Smyrna, DE | 12,619 | 13.8% | $225,900 | 18.0% | 37.29% |
| 6 | Brookside, DE | 14,202 | 12.5% | $219,600 | 12.0% | 31.33% |
| 7 | Milford, DE | 11,249 | 17.7% | $220,200 | 7.0% | 29.02% |
| 8 | Claymont, DE | 9,508 | 13.3% | $219,100 | 10.0% | 20.36% |
| 9 | Bear, DE | 21,625 | 9.0% | $238,200 | 10.0% | 27.49% |
| 10 | Dover, DE | 38,940 | 20.5% | $197,600 | 8.0% | 28.05% |
| 11 | Millsboro, DE | 6,542 | 7.9% | $234,100 | 10.0% | 32.99% |
| 12 | Glasgow, DE | 15,342 | 7.4% | $280,800 | 20.0% | 30.88% |
| 13 | Wilmington Manor, DE | 8,212 | 8.9% | $173,700 | 16.0% | 23.78% |
| 14 | Wilmington, DE | 70,926 | 24.0% | $173,800 | 9.0% | 22.59% |
| 15 | Edgemoor, DE | 6,681 | 21.7% | $251,600 | 15.0% | 25.56% |
| 16 | Pike Creek, DE | 7,398 | 1.0% | $342,100 | 17.0% | 27.2% |
| 17 | Pike Creek Valley, DE | 11,718 | 9.0% | $261,000 | 13.0% | 25.39% |
| 18 | New Castle, DE | 5,482 | 2.9% | $219,900 | 22.0% | 18.44% |
| 19 | Hockessin, DE | 13,464 | 2.0% | $460,800 | 22.0% | 37.7% |
| 20 | Newark, DE | 31,393 | 26.1% | $283,900 | 5.0% | 17.94% |
| 21 | North Star, DE | 8,009 | 2.8% | $457,900 | 18.0% | 23.93% |