Moving to Lewes: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Lewes means joining a real, genuinely historic Delaware Bay coastal town, deliberately quieter than nearby Rehoboth Beach, with a substantial retiree and second-home community.
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Learn moreA real, historic 1631 founding
Lewes was founded in 1631 by Dutch colonists as Zwaanendael, giving the town a real, substantive claim to "the First Town in the First State."
Genuinely elevated housing costs
Lewes's median sale price ran approximately $825,000 (3 months through May 2026, +28.4% YoY) -- the highest this project has documented among Delaware Tier A markets.
Delaware's real tax advantages, plus Sussex County's lowest property tax rate
Delaware's statewide 0% sales tax combines with Sussex County's real, disclosed 0.33% effective property tax rate -- the lowest of Delaware's three counties.
Key takeaways
- Lewes carries a real, substantive historic identity dating to a genuine 1631 Dutch founding.
- Housing costs run genuinely, substantially higher in Lewes than other Delaware Tier A markets this project has documented.
- Sussex County's real, lowest-in-Delaware property tax rate (~0.33%) offsets some of that housing-cost premium.
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