PlainZIP

Wilmington, DE · standard

ZIP Code 19802

New Castle County, Delaware - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

24,621
2,997/sq mi
$53,812
Median income
$194,600
Median home value
26.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wilmington pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

19th pct
household income, US ZIPs
42th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,997
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19802 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19802 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, with 24,621 residents across 8.2 square miles, a density of 2,997 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19802 reports a modest median household income of $53,812 (40% below the Delaware average), while per-capita income is $32,690. Poverty here runs at 22.0%, with unemployment measured at 8.9%. On housing, the median home value is $194,600 (48% below the state average) with median rent at $1,227 per month, and 48.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.8, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing New Castle County, letting you compare 19802 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 19802

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wilmington, DE

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19802.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 19802, Wilmington, DE · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

24,621

Population

8.2

Area (sq mi)

2,997

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 19802?

36.8

Median Age

50.5%

Male

49.5%

Female

10.6%

Foreign-Born

White 21.0%
African American 70.1%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$53,812

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$32,690

Per Capita Income

22.0%

Poverty Rate

8.9%

Unemployment Rate

22.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19802 ranks nationally

Wilmington, DE household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$53,812 19th percentile higher than 19% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

11,548

Total Housing Units

10,478

Occupied Units

1,070

Vacant Units

2.35

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.5%
Renter 51.5%

$194,600

Median Home Value

-48% vs state

$1,227

Median Rent

1951

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.7%

YoY Change (2024)

238

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+138%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19802 have increased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.0% 158
2021 +10.4% 175
2022 +13.9% 199
2023 +11.0% 221
2024 +7.7% 238

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 436 business establishments in ZIP 19802, employing approximately 4,963 people with a combined annual payroll of $263,772,000.

436

Businesses

4,963

Employees

$263.8M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 68 15.6%
Health care and social assistance 61 14.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 54 12.4%
Other services (except public administration) 48 11.0%
Construction 34 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 32 7.3%
Information 30 6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 23 5.3%
Transportation and warehousing 15 3.4%
Wholesale trade 14 3.2%
Manufacturing 8 1.8%
Finance and insurance 8 1.8%
Educational services 8 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 19802 vs 19809 →

ZIP 19802 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 19802 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 19802 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 19802 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
19809 Wilmington, DE 14,049 1.4 mi
19806 Wilmington, DE 9,560 1.9 mi
19801 Wilmington, DE 16,286 2.1 mi
19803 Wilmington, DE 21,364 3.1 mi
19732 Rockland, DE 25 2.9 mi
19805 Wilmington, DE 40,937 3.5 mi
19810 Wilmington, DE 25,011 4.4 mi
19710 Montchanin, DE 41 4.1 mi
08023 Deepwater, NJ 451 5.1 mi
19703 Claymont, DE 14,471 5.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in New Castle County

19720 standard
New Castle, DE
Pop: 59,250
19702 standard
Newark, DE
Pop: 51,899
19711 standard
Newark, DE
Pop: 51,322
19805 standard
Wilmington, DE
Pop: 40,937
19701 standard
Bear, DE
Pop: 39,194
19808 standard
Wilmington, DE
Pop: 38,442

Related Areas

New Castle County Wilmington, DE Delaware

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19802 in? ▼
ZIP code 19802 (Wilmington) is located in New Castle County, Delaware. New Castle County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/new-castle-de.
What is the population of ZIP code 19802? ▼
ZIP code 19802 in Wilmington, DE has a population of 24,621 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19802? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19802 is $53,812, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19802? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19802 is $194,600, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19802? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19802 is African American at 70.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19802? ▼
ZIP code 19802 has 436 business establishments employing approximately 4,963 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19802? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19802 are: Retail trade (68), Health care and social assistance (61), Professional, scientific, and technical services (54). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19802? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19802 increased by 7.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 138%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 19802? ▼
In ZIP code 19802, 60.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 19802? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19802 is 22.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 19802? ▼
In ZIP code 19802, approximately 48.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19802? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19802 is 22.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.