HomePennsylvaniaDelaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Delaware County, Pennsylvania had an estimated 584,882 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 576,970, across 184 square miles. 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 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Delaware County
How many people live in Delaware County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024579,222
- 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-equivalents, Puerto Rico included121st of 3,222
Delaware County is the 5th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable 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's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024584,882
- Census 2020 base population576,970
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.37 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,344
- 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 of 3,144
The county has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Delaware County
Where are people moving to Delaware County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving12,906
- People arriving, from those returns22,217
- Tax returns filed by households leaving14,023
- Net household movement-1,117
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.27 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-235.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$98,103
- Average income of a leaving household$107,050
- Largest single originPhiladelphia County (4,995 households)
- Largest single destinationPhiladelphia County (2,929 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | 4,995 | 9,045 | $418.4 m |
| Montgomery County | 1,239 | 2,005 | $175.8 m |
| Chester County | 1,160 | 1,893 | $136.4 m |
| New Castle County | 676 | 1,230 | $54.6 m |
| Bucks County | 278 | 404 | $23.2 m |
| Camden County | 175 | 286 | $14.1 m |
| Kings County | 139 | 303 | $9.7 m |
| Gloucester County | 138 | 222 | $10.0 m |
Households arriving report $8,947 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Philadelphia County, 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 is the Delaware County economy?
- 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 the Pennsylvania areas BEA publishes6th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes138th of 3,127
- 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
Employment by industry in Delaware County
- Covered employment, annual average218,536
- Establishments reporting14,424
- Average annual pay$73,172
- Average weekly wage$1,407
- Health care and social assistance, employment46,997
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$56,523
- Retail trade, employment23,348
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,883
- Accommodation and food services, employment17,742
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,788
- Manufacturing, employment12,944
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$106,678
- Educational services, employment12,233
- Construction, employment12,167
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 46,997 | 2,282 | $56,523 |
| Retail trade | 23,348 | 1,524 | $37,883 |
| Accommodation and food services | 17,742 | 1,145 | $25,788 |
| Manufacturing | 12,944 | 357 | $106,678 |
| Educational services | 12,233 | 274 | $65,402 |
| Construction | 12,167 | 1,396 | $90,392 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 11,019 | 836 | $56,091 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 9,460 | 1,745 | $116,122 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 46,997 jobs, 21.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Delaware County
How many businesses are 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. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Delaware County
Building permits in Delaware County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024281
- Declared construction value permitted$108.7 m
- Single family units authorized267
- Multifamily units authorized14
- Multifamily share of units5.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$386,898
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.3
Single-family homes are 95.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Delaware County
SBA loans in Delaware County (7(a) and 504)
- 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$1,362,000
- 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)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$421.3 m
The average approval of $506,934 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here 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
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in 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.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delaware County
SBA lending by place in Delaware County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending62
- Media, approvals65
- Havertown, approvals52
- Newtown Square, approvals51
- Wayne, approvals51
- Springfield, approvals31
- Aston, approvals28
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Media | 65 | $34,786,100 |
| Havertown | 52 | $15,131,800 |
| Newtown Square | 51 | $29,814,100 |
| Wayne | 51 | $25,439,800 |
| Springfield | 31 | $9,472,000 |
| Aston | 28 | $16,308,200 |
| Upper Darby | 28 | $8,836,400 |
| Glen Mills | 27 | $27,689,300 |
| 54 other borrower cities | 374 | $190,924,400 |
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 large 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 boundary5
- 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
Flood risk in Delaware County
- Communities in the county 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
- Radon levels in Delaware County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Delaware County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 98.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024579,222
- 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?
The Census Bureau estimates 584,882 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 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's population growing?
The population has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base of 576,970, to 584,882 on July 1, 2024. 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 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 employment by industry in Delaware County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 46,997 jobs, 21.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 218,536 jobs at an average annual pay of $73,172, or $1,407 a week. 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 totaling $358.4 m since FY2020, across 80 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 63 504 approvals worth $62.9 m since FY2010. 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.
How many building permits were issued in Delaware County?
281 housing units were authorized 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 Philadelphia County, with 4,995 households. Arriving households report an average income of $98,103 against $107,050 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Delaware County
Cities and places in Delaware.
46 Census places lie wholly or partly in Delaware County. All 46 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | city | 33,619 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Drexel Hill | CDP | 30,451 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Ardmore | CDP | 13,909 | 7 | 39.6 percent here, 60.4 percent Montgomery County |
| Yeadon | borough | 12,181 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lansdowne | borough | 11,122 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Darby | borough | 10,687 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Broomall | CDP | 10,679 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Woodlyn | CDP | 9,736 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Villanova | CDP | 9,186 | 8 | 49.6 percent here, 50.4 percent Montgomery County |
| Village Green-Green Ridge | CDP | 9,073 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Collingdale | borough | 8,897 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Folsom | CDP | 8,671 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Brookhaven | borough | 8,331 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Ridley Park | borough | 7,261 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Glenolden | borough | 7,220 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Clifton Heights | borough | 6,832 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Folcroft | borough | 6,772 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Wayne | CDP | 6,635 | 51 | Wholly in this county |
| Swarthmore | borough | 6,550 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Prospect Park | borough | 6,417 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Sharon Hill | borough | 6,002 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Norwood | borough | 5,934 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Bryn Mawr | CDP | 5,880 | 18 | 32.6 percent here, 67.4 percent Montgomery County |
| Media | borough | 5,870 | 65 | Wholly in this county |
| Boothwyn | CDP | 4,774 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Aldan | borough | 4,259 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Linwood | CDP | 3,921 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Davids | CDP | 3,875 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rosemont | CDP | 3,421 | None recorded | 28.9 percent here, 71.1 percent Montgomery County |
| Upland | borough | 3,057 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chester Heights | borough | 2,948 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lima | CDP | 2,812 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Morton | borough | 2,773 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| East Lansdowne | borough | 2,712 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eddystone | borough | 2,562 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Colwyn | borough | 2,325 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Parkside | borough | 2,321 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marcus Hook | borough | 2,102 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Trainer | borough | 1,733 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Haverford College | CDP | 1,695 | None recorded | 85.4 percent here, 14.6 percent Montgomery County |
| Millbourne | borough | 1,467 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chadds Ford | CDP | 1,341 | 25 | 22.9 percent here, 77.1 percent Chester County |
| Rose Valley | borough | 1,225 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dilworthtown | CDP | 1,090 | None recorded | 15.6 percent here, 84.4 percent Chester County |
| Rutledge | borough | 935 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cheyney University | CDP | 308 | None recorded | 23.3 percent here, 76.7 percent Chester County |
A further 296 of the county's 707 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Delaware County, the largest being Havertown (52), Newtown Square (51), Springfield (31). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.