HomePennsylvaniaDelaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Delaware County, Pennsylvania has a population of 579,222 across 184 square miles, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $42.61 bn in 2024, 13,165 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 707 7(a) approvals worth $358.4 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Delaware County
How many people live in Delaware County
- Population579,222
- Households216,946
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$89,546
- Median age39.1
- Median gross rent$1,372 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$332,200
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher41.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over395,146
- Population under 18127,583
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over100,966
- Share 65 and over17.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64350,673
- Civilian labor force304,855
- Unemployment rate6.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.5 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties5th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents121st
Delaware County is the 5th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.0 percent against 17.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Delaware County
Is Delaware County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.37 percent
- Census 2020 base population576,970
- Births, 20246,376
- Deaths, 20245,317
- Natural change, 20241,059
- Net domestic migration, 2024-2,034
- Net international migration, 20245,298
- Total net migration, 20243,264
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-7,643
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1377th
The county has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Delaware County
Where people moving to Delaware County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving12,906
- People arriving, from those returns22,217
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.27 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$98,103
- Largest single originDelaware County Non-migrants (222,547 households)
- Largest single destination (222,547 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County Non-migrants | 222,547 | 440,800 | $27.42 bn |
| Philadelphia County | 4,995 | 9,045 | $418.4 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,753 | 3,018 | $173.0 m |
| Montgomery County | 1,239 | 2,005 | $175.8 m |
| Chester County | 1,160 | 1,893 | $136.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 849 | 1,471 | $72.8 m |
| New Castle County | 676 | 1,230 | $54.6 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 348 | 546 | $35.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Delaware County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Delaware County
What the Delaware County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$42.61 bn
- County GDP, 2023$41.20 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.4 percent
- GDP change over five years26.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among Pennsylvania counties6th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents138th
- GDP per resident$73,561
Output grew 3.4 percent in the latest year and 26.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Delaware County
Who employs people in Delaware County
- Covered employment, annual average218,536
- Establishments reporting14,424
- Average annual pay$73,172
- Average weekly wage$1,407
- Sector 62, employment46,997
- Sector 62, average annual pay$56,523
- Sector 44-45, employment23,348
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$37,883
- Sector 72, employment17,742
- Sector 72, average annual pay$25,788
- Sector 31-33, employment12,944
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$106,678
- Sector 61, employment12,233
- Sector 23, employment12,167
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 46,997 | 2,282 | $56,523 |
| Sector 44-45 | 23,348 | 1,524 | $37,883 |
| Sector 72 | 17,742 | 1,145 | $25,788 |
| Sector 31-33 | 12,944 | 357 | $106,678 |
| Sector 61 | 12,233 | 274 | $65,402 |
| Sector 23 | 12,167 | 1,396 | $90,392 |
| Sector 56 | 11,019 | 836 | $56,091 |
| Sector 54 | 9,460 | 1,745 | $116,122 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 46,997 jobs, 21.5 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Delaware County
What businesses operate in Delaware County
- Establishments, all industries13,165
- Employment at those establishments237,233
- Annual payroll$15.49 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Delaware County
What is being built in Delaware County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024281
- Declared construction value permitted$108.7 m
- Single family units authorised267
- Multifamily units authorised14
- Multifamily share of units5.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$386,898
- Units authorised per 1,000 households1.3
Multifamily is 5.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Delaware County
How much SBA lending happens in Delaware County
- 7(a) approvals recorded707
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$358.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$506,934
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,395,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)8,313
- Jobs per approval11.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active80
- Distinct industries receiving approvals216
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms101
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter561
- Franchise loans74
- Franchise share of approvals10.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (26)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (141)
- 504 approvals recorded63
- 504 gross approval dollars$62.9 m
- Average 504 approval$998,651
- Median 504 approval$605,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval14.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.2
- Most active CDCSouth Eastern Economic Development Company of Pennsylvania (31)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals91.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$421.3 m
The average approval of $506,934 sits well above the median of $200,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 14.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delaware County
Do SBA loans in Delaware County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded115
- Paid in full99
- Charged off16
- Charge off rate on resolved loans13.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure447
- Status: Paid in full99
- Status: Cancelled102
- Status: Charged off16
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed43
Of the 115 loans that have reached a final outcome, 13.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delaware County
Which parts of Delaware County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending62
- MEDIA, approvals65
- HAVERTOWN, approvals52
- Wayne, approvals51
- NEWTOWN SQUARE, approvals51
- SPRINGFIELD, approvals31
- UPPER DARBY, approvals28
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| MEDIA | 65 | $34,786,100 |
| HAVERTOWN | 52 | $15,131,800 |
| Wayne | 51 | $25,439,800 |
| NEWTOWN SQUARE | 51 | $29,814,100 |
| SPRINGFIELD | 31 | $9,472,000 |
| UPPER DARBY | 28 | $8,836,400 |
| ASTON | 28 | $16,308,200 |
| Glen Mills | 27 | $27,689,300 |
MEDIA accounts for 65 approvals against 52 in HAVERTOWN. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delaware County
How big is Delaware County
- Land area184 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties65th of 67
- Width, east to west20.4 mi
- Height, north to south18.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land3,148
- Establishments per square mile71.55
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Delaware County
What hazards affect Delaware County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book49
- Of those, participating in the NFIP48
- NFIP participation rate98.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Delaware County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Delaware County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population579,222
- Households216,946
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$89,546
- Median age39.1
Common questions
Delaware County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
579,222, in 216,946 households, ranking 5th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Delaware County growing?
The population has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 6,376 births against 5,317 deaths, with net migration of 3,264. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Delaware County?
$89,546. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $332,200, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,372 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Delaware County?
13,165 establishments, employing 237,233 people with an annual payroll of $15.49 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Delaware County?
Average annual pay is $73,172, or $1,407 a week, across 218,536 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Delaware County?
707 7(a) approvals totalling $358.4 m since FY2020, across 80 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 63 504 approvals worth $62.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Delaware County get paid back?
Of the 115 loans that have reached a final outcome, 99 were paid in full and 16 charged off, a charge off rate of 13.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Delaware County?
281 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $108.7 m. Multifamily was 5.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Delaware County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Delaware County come from?
The largest single origin is Delaware County Non-migrants, with 222,547 households. Arriving households report an average income of $98,103 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Delaware County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Delaware County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.