PlainZIP

Clayton, DE · standard

ZIP Code 19938

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

8,357
66/sq mi
$99,596
Median income
$381,000
Median home value
24.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Clayton pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 23%
home value, US ZIPs
66
people per sq mi
92%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19938 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19938 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Clayton, Kent County, Delaware, home to 8,357 residents across 126.2 square miles, a density of 66 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19938 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $99,596 (11% above the Delaware average), while per-capita income is $36,243. Local economic indicators show a 6.0% poverty rate alongside 2.1% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $381,000 (1% above the state average) with median rent at $1,582 per month, and 91.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 32 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 9 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 19938, plus 6 more within Kent County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 19938

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Clayton, DE

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19938.

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 19938, Clayton, 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

8,357

Population

126.2

Area (sq mi)

66

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 19938?

39.4

Median Age

53.2%

Male

46.8%

Female

5.4%

Foreign-Born

White 68.4%
African American 23.0%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$99,596

Median Household Income

+11% vs state

$36,243

Per Capita Income

6.0%

Poverty Rate

2.1%

Unemployment Rate

31.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19938 ranks nationally

Clayton, DE household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$99,596 Top 19% higher than 81% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.4%

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

What does housing look like?

3,253

Total Housing Units

3,159

Occupied Units

94

Vacant Units

3.02

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.8%
Renter 8.2%

$381,000

Median Home Value

+1% vs state

$1,582

Median Rent

1999

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

+7.4%

YoY Change (2024)

267

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+167%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19938 have increased 7.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +167% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.2% 187
2021 +7.7% 202
2022 +18.0% 238
2023 +4.4% 248
2024 +7.4% 267

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 80 business establishments in ZIP 19938, employing approximately 923 people with a combined annual payroll of $45,750,000.

80

Businesses

923

Employees

$45.8M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 21 26.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10 12.5%
Retail trade 9 11.3%
Other services (except public administration) 8 10.0%
Transportation and warehousing 7 8.8%
Health care and social assistance 6 7.5%
Manufacturing 5 6.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 6.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 3.8%

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 19938 vs 19955 →

ZIP 19938 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 19938 ranks #4 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 19938 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 19938 ranks #3 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
19955 Kenton, DE 72 2.7 mi
19953 Hartly, DE 4,386 7.3 mi
19936 Cheswold, DE 302 6.7 mi
21650 Massey, MD 238 7.1 mi
19734 Townsend, DE 11,651 9.1 mi
19977 Smyrna, DE 22,984 8.4 mi
19904 Dover, DE 34,132 8.2 mi
21649 Marydel, MD 1,858 9.3 mi
21635 Galena, MD 2,098 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kent County

19901 standard
Dover, DE
Pop: 35,055
19904 standard
Dover, DE
Pop: 34,132
19977 standard
Smyrna, DE
Pop: 22,984
19934 standard
Camden Wyoming, DE
Pop: 12,805
19943 standard
Felton, DE
Pop: 11,425
19952 standard
Harrington, DE
Pop: 10,220

Related Areas

Kent County Clayton, DE Delaware

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19938 in? ▼
ZIP code 19938 (Clayton) is located in Kent County, Delaware. Kent County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kent-de.
What is the population of ZIP code 19938? ▼
ZIP code 19938 in Clayton, DE has a population of 8,357 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19938? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19938 is $99,596, which is 31% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19938? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19938 is $381,000, which is 37% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19938? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19938 is White at 68.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19938? ▼
ZIP code 19938 has 80 business establishments employing approximately 923 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19938? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19938 are: Construction (21), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (10), Retail trade (9). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19938? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19938 increased by 7.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 167%. 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 19938? ▼
In ZIP code 19938, 60.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.4% 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 19938? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19938 is 31.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 19938? ▼
In ZIP code 19938, approximately 91.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19938? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19938 is 6.0% 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.