New Castle County
4,016
Estimated housing need through 2030 in the assessment allocation.
View county profile →Homes · land · local decisions
Where Delaware grows shapes who can live here.
Follow housing need, affordability, population change and the planning decisions that determine where new homes and communities take shape.
24,400estimated additional homes needed by 2030 in the statewide housing assessment
Estimated housing need by county
New Castle4,016
Kent6,941
Sussex13,392
2023–2030 assessment allocation summarized in the 2025 State Planning overview. County figures total 24,349; statewide headline is rounded.
Open the county atlas →~20,000Affordable rental homes missingAssessment estimate for households below 50% of area median income; a separate measure from total housing need.
50%Renters cost-burdenedFinding cited from the 2023 statewide needs assessment, not a live monthly estimate.
3 countiesDifferent local growth patternsStatewide estimates do not decide where a particular parcel should be developed.
Start with a county
Compare the statewide planning baseline
Kent County
6,941
Estimated housing need through 2030 in the assessment allocation.
View county profile →Sussex County
13,392
Estimated housing need through 2030 in the assessment allocation.
View county profile →How to read these numbers: these are planning estimates from the statewide assessment, not current permits, approved subdivisions, completed homes or a mandate to build on any particular site.
How a development decision moves
Plans, zoning and project review are different steps
Comprehensive plan
Sets a local vision for land use, services and future growth.
Zoning
Establishes what uses and densities are allowed on a parcel.
Application
A developer submits plans, studies and requested approvals.
Public review
Local bodies review applicable standards, impacts and conditions.
Explore the issues
Data, rules and local context
Need & supply
Housing needs
What the statewide assessment says about demand, housing condition and the affordability gap.
Read the assessment guide →Household costs
Affordability
Rent burden, homeownership costs, area median income and assistance resources.
Understand affordability →Local decisions
Development & land use
Who approves projects, how local plans work and where residents can follow proposals.
Follow the process →State policy
Housing legislation
Read the enacted 2026 laws and understand what they require—and what they do not.
Read the legislation →Land & agriculture
Farmland and open space
Preservation programs, land conversion and the trade-offs around growth.
Explore land use →Population
Growth projections
Learn how the Delaware Population Consortium’s projections are used in planning.
See population data →Primary records
Start with the documents behind the analysis
Housing Needs Assessment
Statewide report, county allocations and supporting data.
Open DSHA resources ↗Comprehensive plan database
Find local comprehensive plans and planning materials.
Open State Planning ↗Delaware Population Consortium
Consult the official population projection series.
Open projections ↗