Delaware’s Safest Cities of 2024

Cathy Habas
Mar 18, 2024
Icon Time To Read3 min read
SafeWise is pleased to release the 10th annual Safest Cities report.

Here are the 5 Safest Cities in Delaware for 2024

See crime rates for the safest cities.

Delaware's violent crime and property crime rates increased year over year. With rising crime rates, it's not surprising that compared to the average American, Delaware residents are more likely to think crime is increasing and less likely to feel safe in their state. But it's not all bad news—Delware's property crime rate fell below the national average this year.

In this report

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NOTE: If your city is missing from our full report, it means that it was below the population threshold or didn’t submit a complete crime report to the FBI in 2022.

2024 Delaware crime rates

Image: SafeWise

Delaware’s property crime rate of 20.5 is just slightly lower than the national average of 20.7 but still the nineteenth-highest in the nation. Conversely, Delaware's violent crime rate of 4.5 is higher than the national average of 4.0, making it the seventeenth-highest in the nation. Only 3% of Delaware residents told us they believe crime is decreasing in general, and 3 in 4 think crime is on the rise overall.

Property crime in Delaware: Fear vs. reality

Delaware’s property crime rate fell below the national average this year (by 1%), and the safest cities in Delaware have a collective property crime rate (18.1) that's 12% below the nationwide average of 20.7 incidents per 1,000 people. With that said, The First State saw a 42% decrease in reported experience with property crime year over year. 

In contrast, our State of Safety survey results show a 14% increase in concern about property crime and nearly three in ten respondents increased their security measures.

  • Larceny-theft represents 81% of all property crime in Delaware—12% more than the national average of 72%. 
  • Burglary is reported less often in Delaware than the rest of the country, making up 10% of all crime in the state compared to 13% nationwide.
  • Of the Delawareans who use property protection (77%), most prefer security cameras (38%) or guard dogs (29%).
  • Concern about package theft rose from 54% to 55% year over year, but those who claimed an experience with package theft dropped 10 percentage points from 36% to 26%.
  • Of the Delaware residents who use some form of package theft prevention (77%), most prefer doorbell cameras (32%), with delivery tracking or verification used second-most often (23%).

What security measures are used most in Delaware?

Security measures used most in Delaware: security cameras, guard dogs, security systems.

Image: SafeWise


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What crimes are Delaware residents concerned about most?

Image: SafeWise

Violent crime in Delaware: Fear vs. reality

Delaware saw a 7% increase in violent crime year over year. Its violent crime rate of 4.5 is 14% higher than the national average of 4.0 incidents per 1,000 people. But Delaware's five safest cities have a collective violent crime rate (2.2) that's 52% below the national rate.

In our State of Safety survey, Delaware residents reported experiencing more worry about violent crime year over year even though they claimed fewer personal experiences with it.  

  • Nearly six out of 10 (57%) Delaware respondents said they're highly concerned about violent crime.
  • 14% claimed to have experienced violent crime in the 12 months prior to the survey which is one percentage point lower than the national average and 26% lower than last year.
  • Rape accounts for 5% of all violent crime in Delaware, which is one of the lowest percentages in the nation. The national average is 11%. 
  • Aggravated assault decreased year over year, from 77% of all violent crime to 68% (US 71%).
  • 28% of survey respondents said they increased security measures in the 12 months prior to the survey.
  • Of the 29% (down from 41%) of Delaware residents who use some form of personal protection, most prefer pepper spray (45%)

Attitudes about gun violence in Delaware

  • More than 6 in 10 (62%) Delaware residents are concerned about gun violence (51% US).
  • 15% experienced gun violence in the 12 months prior to the survey (12% US).
  • Delawareans' reported gun violence experiences decreased 20% year over year—from 15% to 12%, matching the national average.
  • 1 mass shooting event occurred in Delaware during 2023, dropping from 2 incidents in 2022.
  • Of the Delawareans who use some form of personal protection, 14% use a concealed firearm (41% US).

A closer look at the safest cities in Delaware

For the purposes of this report, the terms “dangerous” and “safest” refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data—no other characterization of any community is implied or intended.

  • 17 Delaware cities met the criteria to be considered for ranking.
  • After three years, Clayton fell to second place, giving Milton an opening to claim the top spot. 
  • Each of Delaware’s 5 safest cities saw a drop in violent crime year over year, but none reported 0 violent crimes.
  • 3 of Delaware's safest cities experienced a decreased property crime rate: Milton, Lewes, and Elsmere.
  • All 5 cities reported 0 murders.
  • Except for Newark, with 84, every city reported fewer than 10 violent crimes.
  • Newark's population is at least 26,000 more than any other safest city, a testament to its stellar work keeping crime down per capita.

The 10 safest cities in Delaware

Map of the Safest Cities in Delaware 2024

Image: SafeWise

Milton, Delaware
#1
Milton
(
+1
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    3,548
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 2.5, 2.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.5, 11.0, 9.1
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Clayton, Delaware
#2
Clayton
(
-1
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,003
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.7, 1.9, 0.8
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.7, 5.7, 5.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Lewes, Delaware
#3
Lewes
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    3,533
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    2.3, 2.9, 0.6
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    10.8, 11.2, 10.7
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Elsmere, Delaware
#4
Elsmere
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    6,111
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.0, 5.9, 5.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    17.5, 17.6, 18.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Newark, Delaware
#5
Newark
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    31,015
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    2.7, 2.8, 2.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    21.9, 18.6, 18.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime

How we determined the safest cities

Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.

How to make a safe home anywhere

Over 6 in 10 Americans surveyed don't have a home security system, despite over 50% of all burglaries being residential. Unfortunately, a majority of people who have a security system added it after they had a break-in. One of the best ways to stop a burglary before it happens—and get immediate help if a break-in is detected—is to add a monitored home security system.

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Endnotes and sources

Find all endnotes and sources in our full methodology.

FBI Crime Data Explorer, "Documents & Downloads." Accessed March 18, 2024.

  • 2022 and 2021 Crime in the United States Annual Reports
    • Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
  • 2022 NIBRS Estimation Tables

Bureau of Justice Statistics, "National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)." Accessed March 18, 2024.

Gun Violence Archive, "Mass Shootings." Accessed March 18, 2023.

For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to create unbiased, human reviews. Learn how we test and review.

Cathy Habas
Written by
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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