Elsmere, DE housing market
The typical Elsmere home is worth about $239,000, about the same as a year ago, 41% below the Delaware typical home. Homes typically sell in 17 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Elsmere compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Elsmere at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Elsmere | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $142,000 | $256,000 |
| 2018 | $147,000 | $263,000 |
| 2019 | $153,000 | $271,000 |
| 2020 | $154,000 | $277,000 |
| 2021 | $168,000 | $306,000 |
| 2022 | $180,000 | $344,000 |
| 2023 | $200,000 | $370,000 |
| 2024 | $222,000 | $388,000 |
| 2025 | $235,000 | $397,000 |
| 2026 | $239,000 | $404,000 |
| August 2026 | $239,000 | $406,000 |
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Elsmere in 2025. The last year with any was 2019 (4 new homes).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Elsmere gained 98 residents while 11 new homes were permitted: about 8.9 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across Delaware: 1.8 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $406,000 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $125,000 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $125,000 |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $125,000 |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $125,000 |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $350,000 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $110,000 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $150,000 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $120,000 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Elsmere and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elsmere | $239K | +0.4% | $1,560 | 0 | $67,944 |
| Wilmington | $330K | +1.5% | $1,650 | 101 | $58,671 |
3.5 years of income
The typical Elsmere home costs about 3.5 years of the town's median household income, less than across Delaware (4.8 years).
How Elsmere ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,560
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Elsmere is $1,560 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Elsmere pay a median of $1,339, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 28% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,200 · 4 bedrooms $2,080
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (19804, 19805; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.