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DEDelaware rankings

Safest towns in Delaware

Ranked by crime reported to police per 1,000 residents, averaged over 2023–2025, with violent crimes counted four times as heavily as property crimes. Lower is safer. 21 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Townsend 6.6 Violent 0.7 per 1,000 Clayton 2 Clayton 8.3 Violent 1.1 per 1,000 Map of Ocean View 3 Ocean View 9.2 Violent 1.0 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Townsend2,832 people 6.6 0.7 per 1,000 3.8 per 1,000
2 Clayton Clayton4,222 people 8.3 1.1 per 1,000 3.8 per 1,000
3 Map of Ocean View Ocean View2,851 people 9.2 1.0 per 1,000 5.3 per 1,000
4 Lewes Lewes3,505 people 17.6 2.2 per 1,000 8.6 per 1,000
5 Map of Milton Milton3,567 people 19.8 2.5 per 1,000 9.9 per 1,000
6 Middletown Middletown24,661 people 22.9 1.8 per 1,000 15.9 per 1,000
7 Elsmere Elsmere6,203 people 24.9 2.6 per 1,000 14.5 per 1,000
8 Selbyville Selbyville3,097 people 25.9 2.2 per 1,000 17.0 per 1,000
9 Map of Bridgeville Bridgeville2,745 people 28.2 3.8 per 1,000 13.1 per 1,000
10 Map of Newark Newark30,330 people 29.9 2.8 per 1,000 18.5 per 1,000
11 Harrington Harrington3,838 people 35.1 4.0 per 1,000 19.1 per 1,000
12 Map of Millsboro Millsboro7,424 people 39.2 3.8 per 1,000 24.1 per 1,000
13 Smyrna Smyrna13,165 people 39.3 4.6 per 1,000 21.0 per 1,000
14 New Castle New Castle5,579 people 47.9 4.3 per 1,000 30.8 per 1,000
15 Map of Camden Camden4,106 people 55.6 3.0 per 1,000 43.4 per 1,000
16 Milford Milford12,803 people 60.4 7.0 per 1,000 32.4 per 1,000
17 Georgetown Georgetown7,660 people 73.6 6.9 per 1,000 45.9 per 1,000
18 Seaford Seaford8,485 people 79.4 9.2 per 1,000 42.6 per 1,000
19 Wilmington Wilmington71,727 people 79.6 11.9 per 1,000 32.2 per 1,000
20 Laurel Laurel4,152 people 86.6 14.3 per 1,000 29.5 per 1,000
21 Dover Dover39,837 people 88.7 8.6 per 1,000 54.5 per 1,000

How this ranking works

For each town we add up the violent and property crimes its police reported to the FBI over 2023–2025 and divide by the population they served, giving a rate per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) count four times as much as property crimes (burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson), because they weigh more on how safe a place feels. The lowest weighted rate ranks #1.

These are crimes reported to police, not convictions, and towns with a campus, highway, beach or shopping center also count incidents involving visitors. A town is ranked only if its police department reported a full year in every one of these years; towns patrolled by a county sheriff or state police don't have their own figures. There is no “most dangerous” list, on purpose.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, offenses known to law enforcement by city. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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