RANK #705 / 1001 NAT · POP 187,604
1YR FORECAST: +0.3%
5YR OUTLOOK: +25%
Kent County, Delaware, is perhaps best known as home to Dover, the state capital, and Dover Air Force Base, a significant military installation. Located in the central part of Delaware, it offers a blend of rural landscapes with suburban developments. Dover is approximately 90 minutes south of Philadelphia and two hours east of Washington D.C., with major highways like Route 1 and Route 13 providing connections throughout the East Coast. The community offers a quieter lifestyle with ample open space, dotted with quaint villages and farms. Outdoor recreation is accessible, with Killens Pond State Park offering camping, hiking, and fishing, and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge providing opportunities for bird-watching. Life in Kent County often appeals to families and those seeking a balance between affordability and convenience. The presence of Dover Air Force Base significantly impacts the local economy and labor pool, with approximately 10,000 people employed by the base. Delaware State University, located in Dover, also contributes to the area's educational and economic landscape, recently expanding its physical presence and fostering entrepreneurial growth through initiatives like the Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship (CURE). The county's school districts, including Caesar Rodney and Capital School District, offer various educational programs.
Kent County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +2.1% YoY, population +1.4%, wages +5.9%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 13.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Barratts Landing Mixed-Use Development
Eastern States Development of Wilmington
|
$50M | Proposed |
|
Eastern Shore Natural Gas Pipeline (Felton Loop)
Eastern Shore Natural Gas
|
$50M | Proposed |
|
Community Solar Portfolio (4 projects)
Chaberton Energy, Pivot Energy, Tangent Energy Solutions, Hartly Community Energy Initiative LLC, Calpine
|
$25M | Operating/Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 29/100, Kent County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $74,477 combined with job growth of -0.3% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Kent County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $316,600 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.24 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,354/month on average.
Kent County's population is growing — up +1.4% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of -0.3%). Home values shifted +2.1% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
Not particularly — 1.71% of Kent County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.