PlainZIP

Ocean View, DE · standard

ZIP Code 19970

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

6,170
246/sq mi
$94,103
Median income
$526,600
Median home value
48.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ocean View pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 23%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 12%
home value, US ZIPs
246
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19970 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19970 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ocean View, Sussex County, Delaware, home to 6,170 residents across 25.1 square miles, a density of 246 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19970 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $94,103 (5% above the Delaware average), while per-capita income is $54,573. Poverty here runs at 12.6%, with unemployment measured at 1.4%. Housing costs here run $526,600 for a typical home value (39% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,512 a month; 91.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 19970 in local context, 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Sussex County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 19970

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ocean View, DE

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19970.

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 19970, Ocean View, 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

6,170

Population

25.1

Area (sq mi)

246

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 19970?

63.9

Median Age

43.0%

Male

57.0%

Female

4.4%

Foreign-Born

White 93.0%
African American 1.2%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

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?

$94,103

Median Household Income

+5% vs state

$54,573

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

1.4%

Unemployment Rate

26.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19970 ranks nationally

Ocean View, DE household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$94,103 Top 23% higher than 77% 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 71.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.4%

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

What does housing look like?

8,567

Total Housing Units

4,046

Occupied Units

4,521

Vacant Units

2.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.3%
Renter 8.7%

$526,600

Median Home Value

+39% vs state

$1,512

Median Rent

2004

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

+23.9%

YoY Change (2024)

282

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+182%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19970 have increased 23.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +182% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +6.3% 191
2020 +1.9% 195
2021 +13.6% 221
2022 +23.9% 274
2024 – 282

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 196 business establishments in ZIP 19970, employing approximately 1,490 people with a combined annual payroll of $55,771,000.

196

Businesses

1,490

Employees

$55.8M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 36 18.4%
Construction 35 17.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 11.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 9.7%
Accommodation and food services 17 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 16 8.2%
Other services (except public administration) 15 7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13 6.6%
Finance and insurance 8 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 3.1%
Information 4 2.0%

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 19970 vs 19930 →

ZIP 19970 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 19970 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 19970 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 19970 ranks #6 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
19930 Bethany Beach, DE 2,768 1.9 mi
19967 Millville, DE 354 2.1 mi
19939 Dagsboro, DE 5,979 6.2 mi
19944 Fenwick Island, DE 620 6.3 mi
19971 Rehoboth Beach, DE 12,385 8.7 mi
19975 Selbyville, DE 8,253 7.6 mi
19945 Frankford, DE 6,862 8.2 mi
21813 Bishopville, MD 2,852 10.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sussex County

19966 standard
Millsboro, DE
Pop: 24,601
19973 standard
Seaford, DE
Pop: 23,838
19958 standard
Lewes, DE
Pop: 19,650
19963 standard
Milford, DE
Pop: 19,206
19947 standard
Georgetown, DE
Pop: 18,799
19956 standard
Laurel, DE
Pop: 15,500

Related Areas

Sussex County Ocean View, DE Delaware

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19970 in? ▼
ZIP code 19970 (Ocean View) is located in Sussex County, Delaware. Sussex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sussex-de.
What is the population of ZIP code 19970? ▼
ZIP code 19970 in Ocean View, DE has a population of 6,170 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19970? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19970 is $94,103, which is 23% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19970? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19970 is $526,600, which is 89% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19970? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19970 is White at 93.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19970? ▼
ZIP code 19970 has 196 business establishments employing approximately 1,490 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19970? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19970 are: Retail trade (36), Construction (35), Professional, scientific, and technical services (22). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19970? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19970 increased by 23.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 182%. 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 19970? ▼
In ZIP code 19970, 71.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.4% 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 19970? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19970 is 26.7 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 19970? ▼
In ZIP code 19970, approximately 91.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19970? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19970 is 12.6% 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.