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Buying a home in Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington median home value: $245,100 (Census ACS 2024), well below Delaware's $371,600. FHFA: Wilmington-area prices up 2.1% in a year.

Checked on against the official sources listed at the bottom of the page.

In short

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Wilmington is $245,100 (Census ACS 2024; owner estimates, not sale prices). The FHFA House Price Index shows Delaware prices up 3.3% and Wilmington-area prices up 2.1% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026. On that price, Delaware's realty transfer tax comes to $6,127.50, shared by buyer and seller, before any county or city tax. Selling a main home you owned and lived in for 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly) is excluded from federal income tax (IRS Publication 523).

Calculate for Wilmington

If you buy

Delaware state transfer tax

Realty transfer tax: State 2.5% of value (3% by statute, reduced to 2.5% when the local government levies the full 1.5%); combined 4.0% with a full local tax. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$245,100
State transfer tax$6,127.50
Share of the price2.5% of the price
Who paysShared by buyer and seller

Default price: the Wilmington median value of owner-occupied homes, $245,100 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: State share is 2.5% of the greater of consideration or highest assessed value, when the full 1.5% local tax is in place. The statute sets 3% otherwise. The first-time buyer credit is not included. Who pays: The state tax is apportioned equally between grantor and grantee; absent agreement the burden between the parties is on the grantor (30 Del. C. 5412). The contract usually settles it. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Delaware transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Delaware state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

In short

The median value of owner-occupied homes in the city of Wilmington is $245,100, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. That is $126,500 below the Delaware median of $371,600. The FHFA House Price Index shows prices in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ metro division up 2.1% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.

How much homes cost in Wilmington

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) asks owners how much they think their home would sell for. The median of those answers is a useful benchmark, but it is not a sale price: it covers every owner-occupied home, including homes bought long ago. Our page on Delaware home prices explains the method in detail.

AreaMedian value, 2024 (ACS)Margin of error (90%)
City of Wilmington$245,100±$19,434
New Castle County$372,200±$6,613
Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro area$375,100±$2,652
Delaware$371,600±$4,972
United States$360,600±$618

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024, table B25077. The 2025 estimates are scheduled for October 29, 2026.

The city’s median value is far below the county’s. The city’s margin of error is wide, so the true median is very likely between about $225,700 and $264,500.

Are Wilmington prices rising?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) tracks repeat sales of the same single-family homes. Its purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index for the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ metro division, published August 25, 2026, shows:

Area1-year change (Q2 2025 to Q2 2026)5-year change (Q2 2021 to Q2 2026)
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ metro division+2.1%+39.3%
Delaware+3.3%+37.3%
United States+2.1%+33.4%

Source: FHFA House Price Index, quarterly purchase-only files. Changes calculated by Payotte from the published index values.

The division is the Wilmington part of the Philadelphia area, not the city alone. Prices there rose in line with the nation over the past year, and faster than the nation over five years.

Closing costs, transfer tax and property tax

On top of the price, buyers and sellers pay closing costs: lender fees, the appraisal, the survey, recording fees and title insurance. Several of these depend on the loan and on the providers you choose. We do not recalculate them on this page:

To see how property tax can be paid through your monthly mortgage payment, read our guide to escrow accounts.

Help for Wilmington buyers

A Wilmington home is in New Castle County, so the county limits of the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) apply. DSHA’s website posts a maximum purchase price of $659,385 for single-family homes in New Castle County and a Welcome Home income limit of $122,700 for a household of one or two people (read October 13, 2026). At a median value of $245,100, the price limit is far above the city median, but check the limits with a lender before you make an offer.

DSHA’s housing counseling list includes agencies with Wilmington offices, which can help you prepare to buy, often at no cost to you. Our Delaware first-time buyer programs page has the full program table. We could not open the City of Wilmington’s own housing pages today, so we do not state any city amount.

Delaware guides for Wilmington buyers

Frequently asked questions

What is the median home price in Wilmington, Delaware?

The Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in the city of Wilmington at $245,100 (±$19,434). This is what owners think their home is worth, not the median sale price of recent sales.

Are home prices in Wilmington going up?

According to the FHFA purchase-only index, prices in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ metro division rose 2.1% between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. Over five years, they rose 39.3%.

Why is Wilmington cheaper than the rest of New Castle County?

The ACS figures show it: the city median is $245,100 and the county median is $372,200. The ACS tables give the levels but not the reasons for the gap.

Is there help with a down payment in Wilmington?

Yes. The Delaware State Housing Authority offers zero-interest second mortgages of 3%, 4% or 5% of the first loan with its Delaware Mortgage Program. See our first-time buyer programs page for the conditions and limits.

Where do I check taxes before I buy?

Use our pages on transfer tax and property tax in Delaware, then confirm the amounts for your address with the county or city.

More Delaware guides

Sources

Professionals by sector of Wilmington

Who licenses each trade in Delaware

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