Fenwick Island, Delaware Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 401, Fenwick Island'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

Fenwick Island is a small community located in Delaware, within Sussex County. The total population is 401. It ranks as the 66th most populous out of 79 Census-designated places in Delaware.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fenwick Island is 66.8 years. This is 61% higher than the state median of 41.6 years. Only 1.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 30.4% 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 Fenwick Island is $113,125. This is 33% higher than the state median of $84,954. It is also 40% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.0%. This is 71% 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 3.4%. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $1,394,700. Housing costs are 296% higher than the state median of $352,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 12.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 94.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% higher than the state average of 73.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fenwick Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (92.5% vs 58.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 11.1%.

Education

56.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% 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 95.0%. Notably, 27.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fenwick Island, 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.