Living in Claymont, DE
New Castle County
Claymont is a real, populous unincorporated Census-Designated Place (CDP) in far-northern New Castle County, Delaware -- governed directly by New Castle County rather than its own town or city government, Delaware's ordinary municipal structure for a community of Claymont's kind, not a manifest workaround. Roughly 9,841 residents call Claymont home as of a 2026 estimate, a real, modest +5.33% increase since the 2020 Census. Claymont's defining current story is real, substantial redevelopment: the former Evraz Claymont Steel mill site is being transformed into 'First State Crossing,' a 3.75-million-square-foot mixed-use project (townhomes, apartments, office, industrial, hotel, and retail space), anchored by a genuinely new $82.7 million SEPTA/Amtrak commuter rail station that opened in December 2023 -- a real, disclosed regional-rail asset distinct from most of this dataset's other Tier A markets. This record discloses Claymont's real, elevated crime rate (22 per 1,000 residents) directly rather than softening it, alongside genuinely affordable housing (a $331,137-$365,000 range across sources, below the ~$408,776 national median) and Delaware's own favorable statewide tax structure: no sales tax anywhere, and a low property tax (Claymont's own cited 0.76% effective rate).
Explore Claymont in depth
- Moving to Claymont: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in Claymont
- Housing Market in Claymont
- Buying a Home in Claymont
- Renting in Claymont
- Taxes in Claymont
- Homeowners Insurance & Natural Hazard Costs in Claymont
- Climate & Weather in Claymont
- Jobs & Economy in Claymont
- Schools in Claymont
- Crime & Safety in Claymont
- Healthcare in Claymont
- Traffic & Transportation in Claymont
- Best Areas to Live in Claymont
- Pros and Cons of Living in Claymont
- Retiring in Claymont
- Who Should / Shouldn’t Move to Claymont
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing
$365,000 median sale price, 3 months ending ~April 2026, up 13.6% YoY.
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the New Castle County level this session. Delaware's top state income tax rate is 6.60%. See the Delaware hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Claymont-specific.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuinely affordable housing relative to the national median, even amid brisk 2026 price growth. A real, disclosed, in-progress redevelopment of the former steel-mill site into a substantial mixed-use community, anchored by a new commuter rail station giving practical access to Wilmington and Philadelphia. Delaware's real statewide tax advantages apply in full: no sales tax anywhere, a low effective property tax rate, and below-national homeowners insurance. Direct I-95 access at Exit 11.
Cons
A real, elevated crime rate (22 per 1,000 residents, higher than 53% of Delaware's own cities and towns) this record discloses directly. Real, disclosed data gaps in dated, Claymont-specific school-performance and rent figures. Claymont's own local job base runs through a redevelopment still genuinely in progress rather than an already-mature, diversified economy. Daily local transportation still runs primarily car-dependent despite the new rail station.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits affordability- and value-focused movers, first-time homebuyers, and remote workers who value genuinely practical I-95/rail access to Wilmington and Philadelphia at a below-national price point.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers prioritizing a settled, low-crime community or an already-mature local job market -- Claymont's own real, disclosed elevated crime rate and its still-in-progress redevelopment mean this record cannot in good faith describe Claymont as either a low-crime or an economically mature market yet.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert