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Home Renovation ROI Calculator for Wilmington, DE
Local data pre-filled
In Wilmington, DE (median home: $295,000), renovation costs run near the national average (cost of living index: 103). Calculate which improvements deliver the best ROI in the Wilmington market.
✓ Calculator below is pre-filled with Wilmington local data
Data as of · Sources: Zillow, Census ACS, Tax Foundation, Freddie Mac
Delaware Financial Snapshot (2026) — Home Renovation ROI Calculator
Home value, monthly carrying cost, property tax, and insurance are the four levers for the home renovation roi calculator in Delaware.
How the Home Renovation ROI Calculator Math Works Under Delaware Law
Every real-estate number on this page runs through the same core identity: the monthly principal-and-interest payment on a fully amortizing fixed-rate loan is M = P · r / (1 − (1+r)^(−n)), where P is the loan principal, r is the monthly rate (annual rate / 12), and n is the term in months. For a typical Delaware buyer in 2026, P starts from an $350,000 median home value (Zillow ZHVI)[1], minus a standard 20% down payment.
On top of P&I the calculator adds the two Delaware-specific carrying costs: property tax at the state effective rate of 0.58%[2] and homeowners insurance at roughly $890/year (NAIC state average)[3]. The Freddie Mac PMMS national average 30-year fixed rate (6.30% (Freddie Mac PMMS · week of ))[4] drives the payment curve — Delaware rate quotes can move a few basis points around that number depending on lender, loan size, and credit band.
Local context: Wilmington, DE
Housing economics in Wilmington, DE. The median home value runs 17.6% below the U.S. baseline for Wilmington, DE is $295,000 per Zillow's home-value index. Median rent runs $1,350 a month per Zillow ZORI, cheaper than the national $1,850 baseline. Effective property tax sits at 0.57% of assessed value, below the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.
Income and tax climate. Delaware's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 6.60% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Wilmington, DE at 103.0 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Wilmington, DE buys 97¢ of national purchasing power.
Local context as of 2026-04-19.
Wilmington versus the U.S. baseline
| Metric | Wilmington, DE | U.S. baseline | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value[zillow] | $295,000 | $358,000 | -17.6% |
| Median monthly rent[zillow] | $1,350 | $1,850 | -27.0% |
| Property tax (effective)[tax-foundation] | 0.57% | 0.99% | -42.4% |
| State top marginal income tax[tax-foundation] | 6.60% | ~4.08% (volume-weighted) | 2.5 pp |
| State cost-of-living index[bea-rpp] | 103.0 | 100.0 | 3.0 pts |
How to use the Home Renovation ROI Calculator
Walk through using the Home Renovation ROI Calculator with Wilmington, DE-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.
- Enter your Wilmington numbersFill in the home renovation roi inputs. Defaults reflect Wilmington, DE 2026: median home $295,000, median rent $1,350/mo, 0.57% effective property tax.
- Apply the local 2026 inputsThe median home value in Wilmington is $295,000 (Zillow ZHVI), with median monthly rent running $1,350/mo.
- Compare against Wilmington contextMonthly PITI on the $295,000 median home in Wilmington is ~$1,858/mo — vs a $1,350/mo median rent.
How Delaware Compares to Neighboring States
| State | Median home | Top inc tax | Prop tax rate | RPP (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware (this page) | $350,000 | 6.60% | 0.58% | 98.8 |
| Maryland equivalent | $415,000 | 5.75% | 1.09% | 104.6 |
| see New Jersey | $520,000 | 10.75% | 2.47% | 108.9 |
| Pennsylvania | $265,000 | 3.07% | 1.49% | 97.4 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].
What Changes Your Result in Delaware
- Down payment size:Delaware's typical down payment is 10.0%according to NAR survey data. Every 5% shift changes the monthly P&I by roughly 5–6% of the headline payment.
- First-time buyer programs:Delaware runs state-level first-time buyer programs (DPA, MCC) that can cut effective down payment costs by $5,000–$15,000 for qualifying buyers. See programs block below.
- County-level property tax variance:The state effective rate shown in the snapshot is a statewide weighted average. Within Delaware, county rates can swing ±30% around the median, especially in border counties with differing school-district mill levies.
Related Calculations for Delaware
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- Delaware pool cost rates — pool ROI varies widely by region.
- Delaware garage building cost rates — garage adds square footage and resale value.
How Wilmington Compares to the National Average
Understanding how Wilmington stacks up helps you calibrate your financial planning.
| Metric | Wilmington, DE | US Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $295,000 | $420,800 | -29.9% |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,350 | $1,713 | -21.2% |
| Median Household Income | $68,800 | $74,580 | -7.8% |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.57% | 1.10% | -48.2% |
| Cost of Living Index | 103 | 100 | +3.0% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, NAR (2024–2025). Green = favorable for residents; red = less favorable.
Wilmington Financial Snapshot
- Population (Metro)
- 740,000
- Unemployment
- 4.4%
- Avg Commute
- 25 min
- Median Age
- 37.2
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 18.2x
- Annual Property Tax
- $1,682
Frequently Asked Questions — Wilmington
- Can median-income households afford the median home in Wilmington?
- With a ~$1,858 monthly PITI and $68,800 median income, housing would consume ~32.4% of gross annual income. Qualifying under the 28% DTI rule requires ~$79,629 in annual income. Educational reference only.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Wilmington?
- Wilmington's price-to-rent ratio (18.2x) is roughly neutral — in the 15-20x range the decision depends on time horizon and wealth goals.
- What is the annual property tax bill on the median home in Wilmington?
- Approximately $1,682/yr at the 0.57% effective rate on the $295,000 median home. The national average effective rate is 1.07%.
- What share of median income goes to rent in Wilmington?
- The $1,350/mo median rent represents 23.5% of the $68,800 median household income. The recommended housing cost threshold is 30%; Wilmington falls within that guideline. Educational reference only.
- How much does commuting cost in Wilmington?
- Average commute time in Wilmington is 25 minutes per ACS. Estimated annual commute cost runs about $4,355. Educational reference only.
- How does the cost of living in Wilmington compare to the national average?
- Wilmington's BEA RPP index is 103, 3% above the national baseline of 100. For a household earning the national median income of $77,540, this translates to ~$2,326/yr in purchasing power difference. Educational reference only.
- What is the median home price in Wilmington, DE?
- The median home price in Wilmington is $295,000 as of 2025–2026.
- What is the average rent in Wilmington?
- The median monthly rent in Wilmington, DE is $1,350.
- Does the home renovation roi replace professional advice?
- No. This calculator gives educational estimates using public Wilmington data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for decisions with material consequences.
Delaware State Context
Delaware Real Estate Tips
Delaware has NO state sales tax — saving thousands on furnishings, appliances, and home improvement when you buy or renovate.
Delaware's property tax rate of 0.57% is well below the national average, keeping ongoing costs manageable.
The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) offers down payment and closing cost assistance for first-time buyers.
Delaware's realty transfer tax is 4% (split between buyer and seller), which is higher than many states — factor this into closing costs.
Delaware Homebuyer Programs
- ✓DSHA Homeownership Loan Program — below-market rates with down payment assistance.
- ✓DSHA Preferred Plus Program — up to 5% of loan amount for down payment assistance.
- ✓Welcome Home Program — assistance for veterans purchasing in Delaware.
Statewide Delaware figures apply broadly across Wilmington. County- and city-level variation can be significant — verify against local sources before closing a transaction. [3]
How we compute this — methodology
The Wilmington page uses local median home price ($295,000), median rent ($1,350/mo), and property tax rate (0.57%) alongside the calculator's client-side formula. Calculations run in your browser — no inputs are sent to a server.
Known limits: ZIP-level variance within Wilmington can be substantial — the figures shown are city-wide medians. For a precise property tax quote, consult your county assessor.
Sources
- Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), city-level. zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for median household income and population. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.
- CalcFi state financial context — tips + first-time homebuyer programs compiled from each state's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) public pages. See
src/data/state-financial-context.ts. - Tax Foundation — state property tax effective rates and state/local sales tax rates. taxfoundation.org.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rate averages used by mortgage-related calculators. freddiemac.com/pmms.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] with the URL and the correct figure.
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National reference: Home Renovation Roi Calculator