Wilmington, Delaware Population 2023

70,500

Wilmington is a city located in New Castle County Delaware. It is also the county seat of New Castle County. With a 2023 population of 70,500, it is the largest city in Delaware and the 532nd largest city in the United States.Wilmington is currently declining at a rate of -0.18% annually and its population has decreased by -0.53% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 70,875 in 2020. Spanning over 17 miles, Wilmington has a population density of 6,465 people per square mile.

The average household income in Wilmington is $69,470 with a poverty rate of 29.43%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Wilmington is 35.9 years, 34.9 years for males, and 36.9 years for females.

Wilmington is a city located in the state of Delaware. Wilmington is located in New Castle County, where it is designated as the county seat.

Wilmington Population Statistics

The State of Delaware is the top employer in Wilmington, providing jobs to approximately 13,000 people. Christiana Care Health System is another major employer with over 10,000 jobs. DuPont, Bank of America and Walmart are other top employers in the city.

Wilmington Population Growth

The population of Wilmington during its earliest years grew quite rapidly. At the time of the 1850 census, nearly 14,000 people were living in the city. This number had more than doubled just 20 years later. In 1920, the statistics showed that the population had well exceeded 100,000 people. In 1940, the population peaked at 112,504. However, the population declined rapidly after this, dropping to 70,195 in 1980, the lowest it had been in the 20th century. The census of 2010 showed that the population had fallen since 2000 by 2.5%. While recent estimates indicate that the population is up 0.8% since 2010, future growth is uncertain, primarily due to the high crime rates that the city has experienced in recent years.

Wilmington was initially inhabited by the Lenape tribe during the 17th century. The area at the time was referred to as “Bear Place” after the Bear River. The first settlers to arrive were from Sweden. The region that is now Wilmington was the first Swedish settlement in the United States. The settlement was purchased by Peter Minuit and settlers and traders of the Swedish South Company in 1638 and was named Fort Christina. In the 1600s, a Dutch fleet arrived in the area and took control from the Swedes.

It was in 1664 when the British made their way to the area. The Dutch and English went to battle through several wars, but then the region went into the control of the British and the area stabilized. In the 18th century, the city was designated as a borough, and the name was changed from Willington as it was known to Wilmington.

In the 19th century, gunpowder was manufactured in the area and led to the development of a mill along the Brandywine River. This company became a supplier of gunpowder to the U.S. military and was annexed by Wilmington. It was during the Civil War when the city saw explosive growth. The economy was thriving as there was a high demand for products that were produced in Wilmington, including shoes, gunpowder and railroad cars.

By the end of the 1860s, the city’s boundaries expanded, making Wilmington even larger. The city was prosperous, primarily because it was ranked first in the nation in the production of gunpowder and was also a top producer of iron ships. During this period, the city also established a park system.

In the 20th century, the city continued to prosper as it continued to provide products for World War II, including steel, machinery, automobiles, and clothing. After World War II, the city’s boundaries expanded again. However, the population began to drop in 1950 when updated roads and highways made it possible for more people to live in the suburbs and commute to the city for work. In the 1960s, trouble struck Wilmington following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The National Guard was deployed because of the riots and civil unrest from 1968 through 1969.

The city’s population grew again in the 1980s when more banks and financial institutions came to Wilmington. These businesses still play an essential role in the city’s economy. However, in more recent years, the population has suffered, primarily because of high rates of crime, as Wilmington has consistently been ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the nation.

Wilmington Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wilmington was:

  • Black or African American: 57.24%
  • White: 34.55%
  • Other race: 3.39%
  • Two or more races: 3.29%
  • Asian: 1.34%
  • Native American: 0.17%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.02%
The current population of Wilmington, Delaware is 70,500 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 70,875.

Wilmington, Delaware Population 2023

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Wilmington Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

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Black or African American

White

Other race

Two or more races

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Wilmington Population by Race

Wilmington Population Pyramid 2023

Wilmington Median Age

35.9

Total

34.9

Male

36.9

Female

Wilmington Adults

There are 54,876 adults, (9,454 of whom are seniors) in Wilmington.

Wilmington Age Dependency

55.6

Age Dependency Ratio

20.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

34.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Wilmington Sex Ratio

Female37,69853.36%
Male32,95746.64%

Wilmington Population by Age

Wilmington Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.43

Average Family Size

2.26

Average Household Size

43.8%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Wilmington Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 55.94%.

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$37,645

Average Earnings

$40,477

Average Male

$34,364

Average Female

Wilmington Earnings by Educational Attainment

Wilmington Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Wilmington Language

87.6% of Wilmington residents speak only English, while 12.4% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.16% of the population.

Wilmington Language

Wilmington Poverty by Race

rate

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29.43%

Overall Poverty Rate

23.99%

Male Poverty Rate

25.57%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Wilmington

The race most likely to be in poverty in Wilmington is Native, with 73.5% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Wilmington is Asian, with 4.33% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.83%. Among those working part-time, it was 26.78%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 37.86%.

Wilmington Poverty

rate

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Wilmington Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Wilmington Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Wilmington Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Wilmington Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

26.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

26.7%

Male Marriage Rate

25.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Wilmington Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Wilmington Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Wilmington Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Wilmington Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,279

Number of Veterans

2,860

Male Veterans

419

Female Veterans

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Wilmington Veterans by War

count

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Wilmington Veterans by Age

count

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Wilmington Veterans by Race

Wilmington Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

14.72%

Veteran Poverty Rate

35.26%

Veteran Disability Rate

Wilmington Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

63.4%

Labor Force Participation

56.9%

Employment Rate

9.8%

Unemployment Rate

Wilmington Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Wilmington Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Wilmington Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

54.42%

Born in Wilmington

92.05%

Native Born

7.64%

Foreign Born

4.03%

Non Citizen

3.61%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

92.05% of Wilmington residents were born in the United States, with 54.42% having been born in Delaware. 4.03% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Wilmington Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change
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Wilmington Population by Year