Wilmington, DE Crime Map

Wilmington, DE Safety Overview

With a population of 70,655 and an overall crime grade of D-, Wilmington, Delaware presents a notably uneven safety landscape across its 46 analyzed neighborhoods. Nearly half — 48% — earned a D or F rating, while only 35% reached the A or B tier. That gap matters: it means where you live, work, or rent within city limits has an outsized effect on your day-to-day exposure to crime.

Safest and Highest-Crime Neighborhoods

The city's safest pockets are concentrated in areas with significantly higher median incomes. Bancroft Village and Wawaset both hold A+ grades, with median household incomes of $192,021 and $190,229 respectively. The Highlands, also graded A+, is the most populous of the top-tier neighborhoods at 2,860 residents and carries a median income of $162,057. Union Park Gardens (Grade A, income $91,962) and Forty Acres (Grade A-, income $88,510) round out a cluster of neighborhoods where safety and relative economic stability reinforce each other. Canby Park also earns an A- despite a more modest median income of $63,919, suggesting that income alone doesn't determine safety outcomes. On the other end of the spectrum, Riverside, Price's Run, and East Side all carry F grades, while Quaker Hill and West Center City sit at F+. These neighborhoods bear a disproportionate share of the city's crime burden and warrant serious consideration for anyone evaluating housing or commuting options.

How Crime Grades Are Distributed Across the City

Of the 46 neighborhoods analyzed, 13% earned an A grade and 21.7% a B — meaning roughly one in three neighborhoods can be considered relatively safe. The middle tier is thinner than many expect: just 17.4% scored a C. The bulk of the city skews lower, with 30.4% of neighborhoods grading D and another 17.4% receiving an F. That distribution — heavy at the bottom, thin in the middle — reflects a city where safety conditions are polarized rather than gradually varying. Residents and newcomers can't assume an average experience; the difference between adjacent neighborhoods can be dramatic.

Property Crime vs. Violent Crime Patterns

Wilmington's crime profile reflects pressures common to mid-sized cities with a 9.8% unemployment rate and a poverty rate of 24.9%. Property crimes — including vehicle break-ins and residential burglaries — tend to spread across a wider geographic range, affecting even some moderate-grade neighborhoods. Violent crime, by contrast, is more geographically concentrated, with areas like Riverside and the East Side experiencing incident rates that pull the city's overall grade down sharply. The median home value of $174,499 and median rent of $1,030 place Wilmington in a range where economic stress can amplify both property and violent crime, particularly in neighborhoods where unemployment is persistently high.

How the Interactive Crime Map Helps You Decide

Doorprofit's interactive crime map gives Wilmington residents and prospective residents a practical tool for navigating these disparities. Home buyers comparing properties in The Highlands versus West Center City can see grade-level differences at a glance before scheduling a single showing. Renters weighing units in Brandywine Hills (B+, median income $73,666) against options in lower-graded areas can factor safety data directly into their budget calculations. Daily commuters traveling through neighborhoods like 9th Ward (B+) or Northwest Wilmington (B+) can identify lower-risk corridors. The map doesn't replace local knowledge, but it translates raw crime data into actionable context — helping people ask better questions and make decisions grounded in real patterns rather than assumptions.