Wilmington, DE Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Wilmington, DE Crime

Is Wilmington, DE safe?

Wilmington earns an overall crime grade of D-, placing it below average for safety among U.S. cities. Of the 46 neighborhoods analyzed, only 35% receive a Grade A or B — meaning roughly one in three neighborhoods is considered relatively safe. On the other end, 48% of neighborhoods fall into the D or F range, indicating elevated crime risk. Areas like Riverside, Price's Run, and East Side carry Grade F ratings, while Bancroft Village, Wawaset, and The Highlands hold Grade A+ ratings. Safety in Wilmington is highly neighborhood-dependent, so consulting the crime map before choosing where to live or visit is strongly recommended.

What is the crime rate in Wilmington, DE?

Wilmington's citywide safety rating is Below Average (Grade D). Breaking down the 46 neighborhoods analyzed: 13% earned a Grade A, 21.7% a Grade B, 17.4% a Grade C, 30.4% a Grade D, and 17.4% a Grade F. That means nearly half of all neighborhoods — 47.8% combined D and F — experience higher-than-average crime activity. The city's 24.9% poverty rate and 9.8% unemployment rate are socioeconomic factors that researchers consistently link to elevated crime levels. Neighborhoods like Northwest Wilmington (B+) and Brandywine Hills (B+) outperform the city average, while West Center City and Quaker Hill rank among the most challenged areas.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Wilmington, DE?

The data identifies a clear tier of safer neighborhoods in Wilmington. The top performers are:

• Bancroft Village — Grade A+: Median household income of $192,021, the highest of any neighborhood analyzed.
• Wawaset — Grade A+: Median income of $190,229, with 435 residents in a tight-knit setting.
• The Highlands — Grade A+: The largest of the top-rated neighborhoods at 2,860 residents, with a median income of $162,057.
• Union Park Gardens — Grade A: A community of 702 residents with a median income of $91,962.
• Forty Acres — Grade A-: Home to 1,222 residents and a median income of $88,510.
• Canby Park — Grade A-: A smaller community of 270 residents with a median income of $63,919.

Just below these, 11th Street Bridge, 9th Ward, Northwest Wilmington, and Brandywine Hills all hold Grade B+ ratings, offering relatively safer conditions with median incomes ranging from $35,778 to $86,367. Together, these 10 neighborhoods represent the top 22% of Wilmington's safest areas.

Which neighborhoods in Wilmington have the highest crime?

Five neighborhoods stand out as Wilmington's highest-crime areas based on the crime map data. Riverside, Price's Run, and East Side each carry a Grade F — the lowest possible rating. Quaker Hill and West Center City are rated Grade F+, only marginally better. Combined, these five neighborhoods represent a disproportionate share of the city's crime activity. For context, 17.4% of all 46 neighborhoods analyzed received an F grade, and an additional 30.4% received a D grade, meaning residents in these areas face significantly elevated risk compared to higher-income zones like The Highlands or Wawaset.

Is Wilmington, DE a good place to live?

Wilmington presents a mixed picture for prospective residents. On the positive side, the city offers a median home value of $174,499 — well below the national median — and a median rent of $1,030, making it one of the more affordable mid-Atlantic cities. Cultural amenities, proximity to Philadelphia, and a concentration of financial industry jobs add appeal. However, the data shows real challenges: a D- overall crime grade, a 24.9% poverty rate, and 9.8% unemployment are significant considerations. Roughly 35% of neighborhoods earn a Grade A or B, so livability depends heavily on where within Wilmington you choose to settle. Families and individuals prioritizing safety would do well to focus their search on neighborhoods like The Highlands, Union Park Gardens, or Brandywine Hills, which combine better safety grades with larger residential populations.

How does Wilmington's crime compare by neighborhood income level?

The crime data reveals a strong correlation between neighborhood income and safety grade in Wilmington. The three Grade A+ neighborhoods — Bancroft Village, Wawaset, and The Highlands — have median household incomes of $162,057 to $192,021, far above the city median of $45,139. By contrast, the Grade F neighborhoods like Riverside, Price's Run, and East Side tend to serve lower-income populations. Even within the B+ tier, the range is notable: 9th Ward (B+) has a median income of $82,098, while 11th Street Bridge (B+) has a median income of just $35,778 — demonstrating that income alone doesn't fully determine a neighborhood's safety grade. Still, across the full dataset of 46 neighborhoods, higher-income areas consistently outperform lower-income ones, a pattern common in cities with Wilmington's 24.9% poverty rate.