Seaford, DE · standard
ZIP Code 19973
Sussex County, Delaware - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 23,838
- 117/sq mi High-density area
- $64,387
- Median income Near-median income area
- $278,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 17.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Seaford pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 37th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 37%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 117
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19973 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 19973 (Seaford, DE) rose +11.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 207.2 in 2023 to 231.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 19973 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Seaford, Sussex County, Delaware, with 23,838 residents across 203.7 square miles, a density of 117 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 19973 reports a modest median household income of $64,387 (28% below the average Delaware ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,061. The poverty rate is 16.7%, with unemployment at 8.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $278,300 (26% below the average Delaware ZIP), and median rent is $1,135; owner occupancy is 72.3%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Sussex County, so 19973 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 19973
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Seaford, DE
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19973.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
98 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
85 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
65 establishments
- Construction
Construction
51 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
51 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 19973, Seaford, 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
23,838
Population
203.7
Area (sq mi)
117
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 19973?
41.3
Median Age
48.8%
Male
51.2%
Female
7.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$64,387
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$34,061
Per Capita Income
16.7%
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Unemployment Rate
29.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 19973 ranks among Delaware ZIPs
Seaford, DE household income vs. every Delaware ZIP code
Median household income among 61 reporting Delaware ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$64,387 11th percentile higher than 11% of 61 Delaware ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Delaware 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
11,141housing units
11,141
Total Housing Units
10,266
Occupied Units
875
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$278,300
Median Home Value
-26% vs state ZIP avg
$1,135
Median Rent
1987
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
+11.8%
YoY Change (2024)
232
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+132%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 19973 have increased 11.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +132% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.1% | 157 |
| 2021 | +11.4% | 174 |
| 2022 | +15.3% | 201 |
| 2023 | +3.1% | 207 |
| 2024 | +11.8% | 232 |
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 608 business establishments in ZIP 19973, employing approximately 9,140 people with a combined annual payroll of $465,514,000.
608
Businesses
9,140
Employees
$465.5M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 98 | 16.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 85 | 14.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 65 | 10.7% |
| Construction | 51 | 8.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 51 | 8.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 38 | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 37 | 6.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 36 | 5.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 35 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 32 | 5.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 32 | 5.3% |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 3.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 1.3% |
| Information | 6 | 1.0% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.7% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 0.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.5% |
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 19973 vs 19931 →
ZIP 19973 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 19973
Seaford (19973)
23,838 residents
- 19956
Laurel (19956)
15,500 residents
- 19933 8,535
Bridgeville (19933)
8,535 residents
- 21861 757
Sharptown (21861)
757 residents
- 19931 211
Bethel (19931)
211 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 19973 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 19973 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 19931
Bethel (19931)
$99,375 median income
- 21861
Sharptown (21861)
$86,027 median income
- 19956
Laurel (19956)
$65,603 median income
- 19973
Seaford (19973)
$64,387 median income
- 19933
Bridgeville (19933)
$60,703 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 19973 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 19973, both outside DE so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (23,838 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Sussex County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 19973 in?
ZIP code 19973 (Seaford) 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 19973?
ZIP code 19973 in Seaford, DE has a population of 23,838 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19973?
The median household income in ZIP 19973 is $64,387, which is 16% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19973?
The median home value in ZIP 19973 is $278,300, which is 0% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19973?
The largest racial group in ZIP 19973 is White at 60.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19973?
ZIP code 19973 has 608 business establishments employing approximately 9,140 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19973?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19973 are: Retail trade (98), Health care and social assistance (85), Other services (except public administration) (65). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19973?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19973 increased by 11.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 132%. 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 19973?
In ZIP code 19973, 51.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.5% 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 19973?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19973 is 29.2 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 19973?
In ZIP code 19973, approximately 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19973?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19973 is 16.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 19973's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 19973 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Seaford, DE ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.