Bethany Beach, Delaware Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 905, Bethany Beach's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bethany Beach is a small community located in Delaware, within Sussex County. The total population is 905. It ranks as the 56th most populous out of 79 Census-designated places in Delaware.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bethany Beach is 66.3 years. This is 59% higher than the state median of 41.6 years. Only 4.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 20.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bethany Beach is $117,159. This is 38% higher than the state median of $84,954. It is also 45% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.7%. This is 84% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.4%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is 66% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $720,900. Housing costs are 105% higher than the state median of $352,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 93.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 73.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bethany Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.5% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 21.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 11.1%. The Asian population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 4.3%.

Education

66.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 85% higher than the state rate of 35.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.9%. Notably, 26.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bethany Beach, Delaware is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Delaware state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 79 Census-designated places in Delaware. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.