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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Delaware

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Delaware from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 1 metro areas.

99.8
Statewide RPP
#20
of 51 states by cost
102.0
Rents RPP
1
Metro areas

The verdict

Delaware costs less than 39% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 99.8, 0.2% below the national average.

99.8
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#20
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 61%
nationally, among all states
102.0
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $100,192 when earned in Delaware.

Reading the Delaware Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Delaware's statewide Regional Price Parity at 99.8 for the 2024 data year, 0.2% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 103.8, while goods offer the biggest relief at 96.2. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Delaware captures 1 metro area in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. With a single metro reporting in the BEA series, the statewide figure reflects that urban anchor directly. For goods the state indexes at 96.2, for services 103.8, and for rents 102.0 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Delaware's statewide index has held steady within 0.9 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $100,192 of national buying power when earned inside Delaware, and a household relocating here would need roughly $99,808 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

99.8
Overall
96.2
Goods
103.8
Services
102.0
Rents

Delaware vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

100 Top 39% higher than 61% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). This entry sits in this band. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Metro areas in Delaware, ranked by cost

Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
Dover 97.5 96.4 97.2 95.9

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 100.8
2009 102.1
2010 101.5
2011 100.4
2012 99.6
2013 98.6
2014 99.7
2015 97.9
2016 98.5
2017 98.5
2018 99.3
2019 98.8
2020 96.8
2021 97.4
2022 98.0
2023 98.8
2024 99.8

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Delaware? ▼
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 99.8, meaning it is 0.2% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.2, services at 103.8, and rents at 102.0.
What salary in Delaware equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $99,808 in Delaware. Conversely, $100K earned in Delaware has the purchasing power of $100,192 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Delaware? ▼
Rents in Delaware are indexed at 102.0, which is 2.0% above the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Is Delaware getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Delaware's overall cost index changed by -0.9 points (from 100.8 to 99.8). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Delaware compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Delaware is services at 103.8, which is 3.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 96.2, 3.8% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.