County profile · Delaware
Sussex County, DE market data
How Sussex County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 277,140
- +16.1% since 2020
- Households
- 106,441
- Median household income
- $81,497
- +29.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $382,600
- Jobs located here
- 85,870
- Highest market score
- 91
- Veterinarians, #8 of 1,485 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Sussex County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Sussex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Sussex County has an estimated 277,140 people and 106,441 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Sussex County grew 16.1%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Sussex County is $81,497, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 29.0%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Sussex County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (81).
Of the business types scored in Sussex County, veterinarians (91), insurance agencies (91) and gas stations (88) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For veterinarians, that ranks #8 of 1,485 scored counties.
Sussex County is part of the Seaford area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for urgent care and walk-in clinics (80% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for dentists and orthodontists (57% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Sussex County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Sussex County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 91 | #8 of 1,485 | 20 | 1.9 | $5.1M | 186 | 21 |
| Insurance agencies | 91 | #44 of 2,272 | 76 | 7.1 | $3.6M | 287 | 60 |
| Gas stations | 88 | #49 of 2,358 | 77 | 7.2 | $4.2M | 175 | 73 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 86 | #27 of 1,327 | 15 | 1.4 | $6.8M | 219 | 13 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 84 | #31 of 1,886 | 60 | 5.6 | $2.1M | 211 | 38 |
| Barbershops | 83 | #52 of 1,356 | 35 | 3.3 | $2.9M | 152 | 3 |
| Funeral homes | 82 | #52 of 1,472 | 23 | 2.2 | $878K | 129 | 16 |
| Tire shops | 82 | #82 of 1,530 | 29 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 140 | 7 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 81 | #38 of 1,334 | 28 | 2.6 | $3M | 150 | 17 |
| Laundromats | 81 | #59 of 785 | 11 | 1.0 | $19.1M | 153 | 5 |
| Dry cleaners | 78 | #26 of 507 | 10 | 0.9 | $21M | 134 | 6 |
| Child care and preschools | 78 | #113 of 1,611 | 35 | 3.3 | $1.5M | 150 | 60 |
| Convenience stores | 78 | #233 of 2,261 | 84 | 7.9 | $7.9M | 100 | 26 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 77 | #97 of 1,302 | 29 | 2.7 | $4.3M | 137 | 14 |
| Car washes and detailing | 77 | #100 of 1,451 | 37 | 3.5 | $2.7M | 109 | 8 |
| Auto repair shops | 77 | #176 of 2,378 | 177 | 16.6 | $572K | 129 | 75 |
| Auto repair and car care | 77 | #192 of 2,401 | 311 | 29.2 | $326K | 121 | 95 |
| Roofing and gutters | 76 | #86 of 1,177 | 41 | 3.9 | $7.8M | 93 | 13 |
| Pet businesses | 74 | #182 of 2,200 | 123 | 11.6 | $822K | 94 | 53 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 73 | #168 of 1,461 | 50 | 4.7 | $2M | 79 | 18 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 73 | #290 of 2,222 | 124 | 11.6 | $3.4M | 112 | 195 |
| Grocery stores | 71 | #393 of 2,070 | 71 | 6.7 | $9.3M | 100 | 41 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 71 | #423 of 2,402 | 214 | 20.1 | $3.1M | 91 | 67 |
| Chiropractors | 69 | #248 of 1,490 | 49 | 4.6 | $2.5M | 106 | 21 |
| Hair salons | 69 | #321 of 2,339 | 168 | 15.8 | $596K | 138 | 68 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 68 | #257 of 1,707 | 67 | 6.3 | $4.8M | 101 | 100 |
| Pizza | 67 | #422 of 2,090 | 93 | 8.7 | $4.5M | 90 | 195 |
| Pest control | 65 | #165 of 699 | 21 | 2.0 | $7.8M | 77 | 13 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 65 | #437 of 2,063 | 93 | 8.7 | $4.5M | 123 | 73 |
| Nail salons | 63 | #334 of 1,328 | 53 | 5.0 | $1.9M | 113 | 22 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #509 of 2,057 | 150 | 14.1 | $2.1M | 88 | 184 |
| Spas and skin care | 61 | #493 of 1,769 | 87 | 8.2 | $1.2M | 131 | 26 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 61 | #615 of 2,385 | 347 | 32.6 | $288K | 136 | 121 |
| Home inspectors | 60 | #120 of 415 | 6 | 0.6 | Index only | 106 | 9 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 60 | #607 of 2,088 | 133 | 12.5 | $638K | 96 | 48 |
| Gyms | 59 | #582 of 1,792 | 77 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 85 | 31 |
| Electricians | 56 | #460 of 1,160 | 42 | 3.9 | $7.7M | 64 | 71 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 54 | #363 of 887 | 41 | 3.9 | Index only | 104 | 25 |
| Property management | 52 | #409 of 910 | 35 | 3.3 | Index only | 86 | 59 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 51 | #377 of 777 | 28 | 2.6 | $3M | 75 | 31 |
| House cleaning | 51 | #407 of 847 | 37 | 3.5 | $4.4M | 69 | 71 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 51 | #813 of 1,656 | 76 | 7.1 | $1.6M | 92 | 173 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 50 | #718 of 1,493 | 90 | 8.5 | $1.8M | 62 | 159 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 50 | #1,193 of 2,394 | 722 | 67.8 | $172K | 113 | 319 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 50 | #1,205 of 2,405 | 1,222 | 114.8 | $346K | 93 | 585 |
| Pet stores | 49 | #506 of 974 | 32 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 70 | 14 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 46 | #1,031 of 1,771 | 148 | 13.9 | $1.1M | 66 | 243 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 46 | #1,385 of 2,405 | 703 | 66.0 | $602K | 91 | 317 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 45 | #1,133 of 1,889 | 159 | 14.9 | $2.7M | 64 | 80 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 41 | #226 of 325 | 10 | 0.9 | $12.4M | 51 | 10 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 41 | #1,381 of 2,087 | 248 | 23.3 | $847K | 67 | 160 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 41 | #1,485 of 2,210 | 331 | 31.1 | $634K | 72 | 171 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 41 | #1,550 of 2,176 | 455 | 42.7 | Index only | 67 | 139 |
| Real estate | 40 | #1,644 of 2,229 | 537 | 50.5 | Index only | 72 | 262 |
| Physical therapy | 35 | #1,116 of 1,422 | 92 | 8.6 | $1.4M | 56 | 63 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.4 | $25.3M | 184 | 3 |
Household spending in Sussex County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $101.3M | $952 | 99 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $320.9M | $3,014 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $423M | $3,974 | 98 |
| Groceries | $661.4M | $6,214 | 98 |
| Personal care products and services | $100.1M | $940 | 94 |
| Child care and other personal services | $52.7M | $495 | 85 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $84.9M | $797 | 81 |
| Medical and dental services | $124.3M | $1,167 | 91 |
| Pets | $101.1M | $950 | 105 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $210M | $1,973 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $273.7M | $2,571 | 131 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $321.5M | $3,020 | 100 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $164.4M | $1,544 | 109 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.7B | $15,701 | 94 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Sussex County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 277,140+16.1% since 2020
- Households
- 106,441
- Median age
- 49.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 82%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 936 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 273
- Median household income
- $81,497+29.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $109,287
- Median home value
- $382,600
- Jobs located here
- 85,870
- Daytime population
- 239,628Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Sussex County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Sussex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Delaware 2
- Kent County, DE187,604 people
- New Castle County, DE577,961 people
Questions
How fast is Sussex County, DE growing?
Population estimates put Sussex County at 277,140 people in 2025, up 16.1% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 106,441 households. Median household income rose 29.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Sussex County, DE spend?
Households in Sussex County spend about $1.7B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $661.4M on groceries and $423M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Sussex County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (81).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Sussex County, DE?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Sussex County are for veterinarians (91), insurance agencies (91) and gas stations (88). Sussex County ranks #8 of 1,485 scored counties for veterinarians.
How does Sussex County, DE compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Sussex County is $81,497 a year, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 16.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $382,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Sussex County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for urgent care and walk-in clinics (80% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dentists and orthodontists (57% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Sussex County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Sussex County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Delaware · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Sussex County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Sussex County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.