Is $21,000 a good salary in Delaware?

$21,000 in Delaware provides a monthly take-home of approximately $1,504 after taxes. Across major Delaware cities, this salary is rated not recommended, with an average monthly surplus of $-802.

What is the cost of living on $21,000 in Delaware?

The average monthly living cost across major Delaware cities is approximately $2,306 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $21,000 take-home pay of $1,504/month, you would have roughly $-802/month remaining.

Living in Delaware · 2026

Is $21,000 enough to live in Delaware?

Single adult · DE · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Not recommended

Monthly take-home

$1,504

Avg monthly expenses

$2,306

Avg monthly surplus

$-802

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Delaware

Gross salary$21,000

Federal income tax− $550

State income tax− $793

Social Security− $1,302

Medicare− $305

Annual take-home$18,050

Effective tax rate14.05%

How $21,000 feels in Delaware cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Wilmington

COL index: 1.05× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,350

Food

$462

Transport

$184

Utilities

$173

Healthcare

$210

Total: $2,379/mo

Surplus: $-875/mo

Rent burden: 89.8% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Wilmington analysis →

Dover

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$471

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,454/mo

Surplus: $-950/mo

Rent burden: 93.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Dover analysis →

Newark

COL index: 1.03× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,300

Food

$594

Transport

$180

Utilities

$170

Healthcare

$206

Total: $2,450/mo

Surplus: $-946/mo

Rent burden: 86.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Newark analysis →

Middletown

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,250

Food

$440

Transport

$175

Utilities

$165

Healthcare

$200

Total: $2,230/mo

Surplus: $-726/mo

Rent burden: 83.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Middletown analysis →

Smyrna

COL index: 0.97× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,180

Food

$427

Transport

$170

Utilities

$160

Healthcare

$194

Total: $2,131/mo

Surplus: $-627/mo

Rent burden: 78.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Smyrna analysis →

Milford

COL index: 0.99× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,220

Food

$440

Transport

$173

Utilities

$163

Healthcare

$198

Total: $2,194/mo

Surplus: $-690/mo

Rent burden: 81.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Milford analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,504 ($18,048/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$752

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$451

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$301

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$9,024

Wants / year

$5,414

Savings / year

$3,610

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Wilmington

Rent alone would take 90% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $54,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 1.9/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $21,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Wilmington, Delaware. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $875, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Wilmington is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 1.05). $21,000 here is roughly equivalent to $37,000 in San Francisco or $17,600 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$21,000 is 55% below the Delaware individual median of $46,200. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$46,200

-55%

State household median

$79,325

-74%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$21,000 vs. Delaware income benchmarks

Individual median (Delaware)

$46,200

-55% vs. this salary

Household median (Delaware)

$79,325

-74% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Delaware

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.