Cost of living in New Castle, DE — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·Delaware·New Castle·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$279,941
Median home value
$1,726/mo
Median rent
79
Cost index (US=100)
+1.2%
Home YoY change

The median home value in New Castle, DE is $279,941 as of 2026-04. That places New Castle below the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 79 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in New Castle has moved sideways, and over the past five years it has averaged +4.6% annual growth. The current price sits -0.3% from its 5-year peak in 2025-08.

Renters pay a median of $1,726 per month in New Castle. Rents have changed — over the last year and averaged — per year over five years.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in New Castle are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$279,941
1-year change+1.2%
5-year CAGR+4.6%
10-year CAGR+5.7%
vs 5-year peak-0.3%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How New Castle compares

Cost index79 (below US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)-21.1%
Population5,715
Momentum score66 (Rising)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.