Safest Cities in Delaware (2024)
Ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents from 2024 FBI data. Delaware has 39 cities reporting crime data, with a statewide violent crime rate of 360.8 per 100K.
39
Cities Tracked
125.0
Safest City Rate
294.2
Median City Rate
1133.6
Highest Rate
Top 25 Safest Cities in Delaware
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Property Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middletown | 25,594 | 125.0 | 0.0 | 1543.3 | C+ |
| 2 | Elsmere | 6,135 | 244.5 | 0.0 | 1776.7 | D+ |
| 3 | Newark | 30,030 | 309.7 | 3.3 | 1998.0 | D |
| 4 | New Castle | 5,552 | 378.2 | 0.0 | 3530.3 | F |
| 5 | Millsboro | 7,883 | 418.6 | 12.7 | 2359.5 | F |
| 6 | Smyrna | 13,386 | 485.6 | 0.0 | 1964.7 | F |
| 7 | Georgetown | 8,117 | 702.2 | 0.0 | 4989.5 | F |
| 8 | Milford | 14,028 | 791.3 | 21.4 | 3649.8 | F |
| 9 | Dover | 40,087 | 1012.8 | 17.5 | 6069.3 | F |
| 10 | Wilmington | 71,958 | 1127.0 | 34.7 | 3158.8 | F |
| 11 | Seaford | 8,998 | 1133.6 | 0.0 | 4567.7 | F |
Most Dangerous Cities in Delaware
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaford | 8,998 | 1133.6 | 0.0 | F |
| 2 | Wilmington | 71,958 | 1127.0 | 34.7 | F |
| 3 | Dover | 40,087 | 1012.8 | 17.5 | F |
| 4 | Milford | 14,028 | 791.3 | 21.4 | F |
| 5 | Georgetown | 8,117 | 702.2 | 0.0 | F |
| 6 | Smyrna | 13,386 | 485.6 | 0.0 | F |
| 7 | Millsboro | 7,883 | 418.6 | 12.7 | F |
| 8 | New Castle | 5,552 | 378.2 | 0.0 | F |
| 9 | Newark | 30,030 | 309.7 | 3.3 | D |
| 10 | Elsmere | 6,135 | 244.5 | 0.0 | D+ |
| 11 | Middletown | 25,594 | 125.0 | 0.0 | C+ |
All 39 Cities in Delaware
Complete list ranked from safest to most dangerous.
Show all 39 cities
| # | City | Pop. | Violent Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellendale | 558 | 0.0 | A |
| 2 | South Bethany | 520 | 0.0 | A |
| 3 | Viola | 149 | 0.0 | A |
| 4 | Townsend | 2,862 | 34.9 | B+ |
| 5 | Ocean View | 3,035 | 65.9 | B+ |
| 6 | Greenwood | 1,123 | 89.0 | B |
| 7 | Selbyville | 3,286 | 91.3 | B |
| 8 | Clayton | 4,545 | 110.0 | C+ |
| 9 | Frankford | 905 | 110.5 | C+ |
| 10 | Frederica | 869 | 115.1 | C+ |
| 11 | Middletown | 25,594 | 125.0 | C+ |
| 12 | Delaware City | 1,912 | 156.9 | C |
| 13 | Lewes | 3,704 | 162.0 | C |
| 14 | Dagsboro | 992 | 201.6 | D+ |
| 15 | Bridgeville | 2,920 | 239.7 | D+ |
| 16 | Elsmere | 6,135 | 244.5 | D+ |
| 17 | Fenwick Island | 388 | 257.7 | D+ |
| 18 | Milton | 3,793 | 263.6 | D+ |
| 19 | Felton | 1,369 | 292.2 | D |
| 20 | Cheswold | 2,379 | 294.2 | D |
| 21 | Newark | 30,030 | 309.7 | D |
| 22 | Camden | 4,364 | 320.8 | D |
| 23 | New Castle | 5,552 | 378.2 | F |
| 24 | Harrington | 3,888 | 385.8 | F |
| 25 | Millsboro | 7,883 | 418.6 | F |
| 26 | Newport | 892 | 448.4 | F |
| 27 | Smyrna | 13,386 | 485.6 | F |
| 28 | Wyoming | 1,926 | 571.1 | F |
| 29 | Delmar | 2,279 | 614.3 | F |
| 30 | Rehoboth Beach | 1,258 | 635.9 | F |
| 31 | Bethany Beach | 1,093 | 640.4 | F |
| 32 | Georgetown | 8,117 | 702.2 | F |
| 33 | Blades | 1,336 | 748.5 | F |
| 34 | Milford | 14,028 | 791.3 | F |
| 35 | Dover | 40,087 | 1012.8 | F |
| 36 | Wilmington | 71,958 | 1127.0 | F |
| 37 | Seaford | 8,998 | 1133.6 | F |
| 38 | Laurel | 4,410 | 1451.2 | F |
| 39 | Dewey Beach | 406 | 4433.5 | F |
Crime Composition in Delaware
How violent crime breaks down across cities reporting data in Delaware.
State violent crime rate: 360.8/100K vs national average: 359.1/100K (0% above national average)
About This Data
Crime rates are from the FBI's 2024 Uniform Crime Report, the most recent data available. Rates are per 100,000 residents. Safety grades are based on national percentile ranking — an "A" means the city is safer than 80%+ of all US cities in our database.
Not all cities report to the FBI. Small agencies may have incomplete data. Always consider multiple years of data before drawing conclusions about a city's safety.
National demographic context: Crime and safety vary across racial and ethnic groups. Per-city demographic data is not published by the FBI, but national patterns show significant disparities. Full demographics | Racial disparities