Is $252,000 a good salary in Delaware?

$252,000 in Delaware provides a monthly take-home of approximately $14,087 after taxes. Across major Delaware cities, this salary is rated very comfortable, with an average monthly surplus of $11,781.

What is the cost of living on $252,000 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 $252,000 take-home pay of $14,087/month, you would have roughly $11,781/month remaining.

Living in Delaware · 2026

Is $252,000 enough to live in Delaware?

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

Statewide verdict:Very comfortable

Monthly take-home

$14,087

Avg monthly expenses

$2,306

Avg monthly surplus

$11,781

Savings potential

~84%

After-tax take-home in Delaware

Gross salary$252,000

Federal income tax− $52,018

State income tax− $15,616

Social Security− $11,203

Medicare− $4,122

Annual take-home$169,041

Effective tax rate32.92%

How $252,000 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

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,350

Food

$462

Transport

$184

Utilities

$173

Healthcare

$210

Total: $2,379/mo

Surplus: $11,708/mo

Rent burden: 9.6% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Wilmington analysis →

Dover

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$471

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,454/mo

Surplus: $11,633/mo

Rent burden: 9.9% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Dover analysis →

Newark

COL index: 1.03× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,300

Food

$594

Transport

$180

Utilities

$170

Healthcare

$206

Total: $2,450/mo

Surplus: $11,637/mo

Rent burden: 9.2% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Newark analysis →

Middletown

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,250

Food

$440

Transport

$175

Utilities

$165

Healthcare

$200

Total: $2,230/mo

Surplus: $11,857/mo

Rent burden: 8.9% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Middletown analysis →

Smyrna

COL index: 0.97× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,180

Food

$427

Transport

$170

Utilities

$160

Healthcare

$194

Total: $2,131/mo

Surplus: $11,956/mo

Rent burden: 8.4% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Smyrna analysis →

Milford

COL index: 0.99× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,220

Food

$440

Transport

$173

Utilities

$163

Healthcare

$198

Total: $2,194/mo

Surplus: $11,893/mo

Rent burden: 8.7% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Milford analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $14,087 ($169,044/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$7,044

per month

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

Wants30%

$4,226

per month

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

Savings20%

$2,817

per month

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

Needs / year

$84,522

Wants / year

$50,713

Savings / year

$33,809

Salary Intelligence

Excellent salary in Wilmington

At $252,000, housing costs only 10% of take-home income — well below the 25% threshold. This leaves strong room for savings, discretionary spending, and wealth building.

Lifestyle score: 8.3/10 (Very Good)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $252,000 salary comfortably supports a very good single lifestyle in Wilmington, Delaware, with approximately $11,708/month (~83% of take-home) available for savings — meeting or exceeding the recommended 20% savings rate.

Purchasing Power

Wilmington is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 1.05). $252,000 here is roughly equivalent to $444,000 in San Francisco or $211,200 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$252,000 is 445% above the Delaware individual median of $46,200 and 350% above the US national individual median of $56,000. This is a top-quartile income in this state.

State individual median

$46,200

+445%

State household median

$79,325

+218%

Tax reduction strategies

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

401(k) Age 50+ Catch-Up Contribution — Up to $2,775 additional tax savings (37% bracket)

$252,000 vs. Delaware income benchmarks

Individual median (Delaware)

$46,200

+445% vs. this salary

Household median (Delaware)

$79,325

+218% 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.