City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
35,987
Median Income
$117,933
Home Value
$420,017
Median Age
37.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
34.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Middletown, DE Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Middletown, DE Crime Overview: What the Data Actually Shows
Middletown, Delaware earns an overall crime grade of C+ for 2026 — a middling score that deserves a closer look rather than a surface-level verdict. With a population of 22,350 and a population density of just 690 residents per square mile, Middletown is a relatively spread-out community. That low density matters: it tends to dilute the concentration of incidents that drives crime grades down in tighter urban environments.
Looking at the 301 reported incidents over the last 90 days, the picture becomes more nuanced. The single largest category — accounting for 70% of all incidents (210 reports) — falls under the broad "Other" classification, which typically captures miscellaneous calls, suspicious activity reports, and minor disturbances that don't fit neatly into standard crime buckets. That outsized share suggests Middletown's raw incident count is significantly padded by low-severity activity.
Breaking Down Middletown's Recent Crime Incidents
Strip away the "Other" category and you're left with 91 categorized incidents over 90 days. Here's how they break down:
- Vandalism: 43 incidents (14% of total) — This is the most clearly defined crime category in the dataset and the one residents are most likely to encounter. Graffiti, property damage, and vehicle defacement tend to cluster around commercial corridors and parking areas.
- Arrests: 19 incidents (6%) — Arrest records indicate active law enforcement response. A 6% share suggests police presence is consistent without pointing to an overwhelming enforcement burden.
- Theft: 13 incidents (4%) — Relatively modest for a community of this size. Theft incidents, including shoplifting and vehicle break-ins, are the most common property crime nationally, making Middletown's 4% share a relatively low figure.
- Assault: 7 incidents (2%) — Seven assaults over 90 days in a town of 22,350 is a low absolute number, though any violent incident warrants attention. The most recent reported assault occurred on 2026-03-08.
- Shooting: 7 incidents (2%) — Seven shooting-related reports over the quarter is the data point that most directly influences the C+ grade. The most recent occurred on 2026-03-11. While 2% of total incidents sounds small, shooting incidents carry significant weight in crime scoring models.
- Burglary: 2 incidents (1%) — Two burglaries in 90 days is a genuinely low figure and a positive signal for homeowners and renters evaluating Middletown's residential safety.
How Middletown's Demographics Contextualize Crime
Context matters when reading any crime grade. Middletown's median household income of $91,663 sits well above national medians, and its poverty rate of just 5.7% is notably low. Research consistently links higher income levels and lower poverty rates to reduced property and violent crime. The median home value of $294,240 and median rent of $1,311 reflect a stable, owner-occupied community — another factor associated with neighborhood cohesion and lower crime.
The one demographic flag worth noting is an unemployment rate of 6.8%, which runs modestly above the national average. Elevated unemployment can correlate with opportunistic property crime, and the vandalism figures in the recent data may partially reflect economic frustration. That said, 6.8% unemployment alongside a 5.7% poverty rate suggests the joblessness is likely transitional rather than structural.
Property Crime vs. Violent Crime in Middletown
One of the most important distinctions for residents evaluating safety is the split between property crime and violent crime. In Middletown's last 90 days of data, property-oriented incidents (vandalism, theft, burglary) account for 19% of total reports, while violent incidents (assault, shooting) account for just 4%. That ratio — roughly 5:1 property to violent — is broadly consistent with national crime distributions and suggests Middletown does not have an outsized violent crime problem relative to its property crime footprint.
The burglary figure deserves special emphasis for prospective homeowners: just 2 burglaries in 90 days across the entire town is a strong indicator that residential break-ins are not a defining concern here. Pair that with the low poverty rate and higher home values, and Middletown's residential neighborhoods appear meaningfully safer than the C+ overall grade might initially suggest.
What the C+ Grade Means for Middletown Residents
A C+ places Middletown in the middle tier of U.S. communities by crime safety — not among the safest, but far from the most dangerous. The grade reflects a blend of low burglary and theft rates pulling the score upward, offset by a non-trivial number of shooting incidents and moderate vandalism that hold it back from a B range. For a growing suburban community that has seen rapid residential development over the past decade, a C+ is a realistic snapshot of a town in transition — adding population and density faster than some community infrastructure can absorb.
Residents looking to minimize their personal risk exposure should pay attention to vandalism patterns (the most frequent defined crime category), remain aware that shooting incidents do occur at a low but measurable rate, and take standard precautions around vehicle and property security given the theft and vandalism data. Engaging with local neighborhood watch networks and staying current with the interactive crime map on this page are the most practical steps toward staying informed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Middletown, DE Crime & Safety
What is Middletown's overall crime grade for 2026?
Middletown, Delaware receives an overall crime grade of C+ for 2026. This places the town in the middle tier of U.S. communities — safer than many urban areas, but with room for improvement. The grade is shaped by a relatively low burglary rate and modest theft figures on the positive side, balanced against a measurable number of shooting incidents and consistent vandalism reports that prevent a higher score. For a growing suburban community of 22,350 residents, a C+ reflects the growing pains of rapid residential expansion rather than entrenched, systemic crime.
What types of crime are most common in Middletown, DE?
Based on the most recent 90-day incident data (301 total reports), vandalism is the most clearly defined crime category, representing 14% of all incidents with 43 reports — the latest on 2026-03-11. Theft accounts for 4% (13 incidents), and burglary is notably rare at just 2 incidents (1%) over the same period. Violent crime, including assault (7 incidents, 2%) and shooting-related reports (7 incidents, 2%), is present but represents a small fraction of overall activity. The largest single category — 70% of reports — falls under a broad "Other" classification covering miscellaneous and low-severity calls, which significantly inflates the raw incident count without reflecting serious criminal activity.
Is Middletown, DE safe to live in?
By most measurable indicators, Middletown is a reasonably safe community, particularly for property crime. The town's burglary rate is very low (only 2 incidents in the last 90 days), theft is modest relative to population size, and the poverty rate of 5.7% and median household income of $91,663 reflect a stable economic base that correlates with lower crime. The primary concern flagged by recent data is a non-trivial number of shooting incidents — 7 over 90 days — which residents should be aware of even though they represent just 2% of total reports. Overall, Middletown's profile is that of a safe suburban community with isolated incidents of violent crime rather than widespread safety concerns.
Which parts of Middletown tend to have more crime activity?
While the aggregate data doesn't break down every incident by sub-neighborhood, the crime map on this page allows you to visualize where incidents cluster geographically. Vandalism — the most frequent defined crime type at 14% of reports — tends to concentrate around commercial corridors and higher-traffic parking areas. Theft incidents similarly skew toward retail and commercial zones. Residential areas, particularly established communities with active neighborhood associations, generally see lower burglary and theft activity, consistent with the town-wide burglary figure of just 2 incidents over 90 days. Using the interactive map filters to view incident types by area will give you the most precise picture of activity near any specific location.
How does Middletown's crime rate compare to other Delaware towns?
With a C+ overall crime grade, Middletown sits in the middle of the Delaware municipal spectrum. It compares favorably to larger, denser cities in the state where violent crime rates and property crime concentrations are significantly higher. Middletown's low population density of 690 residents per square mile, high median income, and low poverty rate all work in its favor relative to more urbanized Delaware communities. The shooting incidents in the recent data are the primary factor keeping Middletown from achieving a B-range grade that its property crime profile might otherwise support.
What should residents do to stay safe in Middletown?
Given that vandalism (14% of incidents) and theft (4%) are the most actionable crime categories for residents, practical precautions include securing vehicles overnight, using motion-activated lighting around your property, and reporting graffiti or property damage promptly to prevent escalation. For awareness of shooting incidents — which occurred 7 times in the last 90 days — staying informed through the crime map and local police updates is the best tool available. Middletown's unemployment rate of 6.8% is modestly elevated, so community engagement programs that support economic opportunity can also contribute to long-term safety improvements. Checking this crime map regularly and signing up for local police department alerts are the most direct ways to stay current on emerging patterns.
Surrounding Cities
Middletown Zip Codes
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