Sussex County is a
countyIn the United States, a county is a local level of government below the state . Counties are used in 48 of the 50 states, while Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. These are considered "county-equivalents", as are some cities not designated as part of a county. The U.S...
located in the southern part of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
DelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, a British nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom Cape Henlopen was originally named.Delaware is located in...
. As of 2000 the population was 156,638. The
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
GeorgetownGeorgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 4,927. It is the county seat of Sussex County.Georgetown is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. In 2005, the population of the county was estimated to be 176,548, an increase of 12.7%. The
SeafordSeaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware. According to the 2000 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,997 . It the principal city of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Sussex County.It is the largest city in...
Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.
Sussex County is Delaware's largest county by land area, with . The first European settlement in the state of Delaware was founded in 1631 near the present-day town of Lewes. However, Sussex County was not organized until 1683.
Beginnings
Archaeologists estimate that the first inhabitants of Sussex County, the southernmost county in
DelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, a British nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom Cape Henlopen was originally named.Delaware is located in...
, arrived between 10,000 and 14,000 years ago. Native Americans in Sussex County called themselves by the various tribal names of the Algonquin Nation. The most prominent tribes in the area were the Leni Lenape and
NanticokeThe Nanticoke Indian Tribe is a state-recognized Native American tribe from Sussex County, Delaware, comprising the Nanticoke River watershed which empties into the Chesapeake Bay....
tribes. The people settled along the numerous bodies of water in the area where they were able to harvest fish, oysters, and other shellfish in the fall and winter. In the warmer months they planted crops, and hunted deer and other small mammals as larger game was not present in the area.
European Discovery
There is no universally agreed upon group known to be the first to settle in Sussex County. In the early years of exploration, from 1593 to 1630, many feel the Spanish or Portuguese were probably the first to see the Delaware River and the lands of present day Sussex County.
Henry HudsonHenry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. After several voyages on behalf of English merchants to explore a prospective Northeast Passage to India, Hudson explored the region around modern New York City while looking for a western route to the Orient under...
, on his expedition for the
Dutch West India CompanyDutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx . On June 3, 1621, it was granted a charter for a trade monopoly in the West Indies by the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands and given jurisdiction over the African slave...
, discovered the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony....
in 1609. Attempting to following him,
Samuel ArgallSir Samuel Argall was an English adventurer and naval officer.As a sea captain, in 1609, Argall was the first to determine a shorter northern route from England across the Atlantic Ocean to the Virginia Colony based at Jamestown, and made numerous voyages to the New World...
, an English explorer, was blown off course in 1610 and landed in a strange bay that he named after the Governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr.
In the first half of 1613,
Cornelius Jacobsen MeyCornelis Jacobsz Mey , was a Dutch explorer, captain and fur trader, and namesake of Cape May, Cape May County, and the city of Cape May, New Jersey, so named first in 1620.-Family:...
, a Dutch navigator, discovered and named both
Cape May, New JerseyCape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean....
and
Cape HenlopenCape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
, (originally Hindlopen) in the Delaware Bay. Later it was found that what May had named Henlopen, was actually Fenwick Island protruding into the Atlantic Ocean, and the name of the cape was moved to its present location just east of Lewes.
European Settlement
Sussex County, was the site of the first European settlement in Delaware, a trading post named
Zwaanendael at the present site of
LewesLewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,116...
in June 3, 1631. Dutch captain
David Pietersen de VriesCaptain David Pietersz de Vries was a Dutch navigator from Hoorn, Holland, and patroon of the company that founded the Zwaanendael Colony in Lewes, Delaware....
landed along the shores of the Delaware to establish a whaling colony in the mid-Atlantic of the New World. The colony only lasted until 1632, when De Vries left. Upon returning to Zwaanendael that December, he found the Indian tribes had killed his men and burned the colony. The Dutch then set about settling the area once again.
The original boundaries were undefined with boundary disputes between the family of
William PennWilliam Penn was an English founder and "Absolute Proprietor" of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future U.S. State of Pennsylvania. He was known as an early champion of democracy and religious freedom and famous for his good relations and his treaties with...
, who claimed the county extended to
Fenwick IslandFenwick Island is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 357...
, and
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron BaltimoreCharles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, FRS was a British noble and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland.Charles was 16 when his father, Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore died, passing on his title...
, who claimed the county ended at Lewes with all the land south of that belonging to
Somerset CountySomerset County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Maryland, located on the state's Eastern Shore. It was named for Mary, Lady Somerset, the wife of Sir John Somerset and daughter of Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour...
.
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
and
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
both claimed the land between the 39th and 40th parallels according to the charters granted to each colony. The 'Three Lower Counties' (Delaware) along
Delaware BayDelaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
moved into the Penn sphere of settlement, and later became the
Delaware ColonyDelaware Colony was an English colony in North America. It was part of the Middle Colonies.-Exploration:From the early Dutch settlement in 1631 to the colony’s rule by Pennsylvania in 1682, the land that later became the U.S. state of Delaware changed hands many times...
, a satellite of Pennsylvania.
In 1732 the proprietary governor of Maryland, Charles Calvert, signed an agreement with William Penn's sons which drew a line somewhere in between, and also renounced the Calvert claim to Delaware. But later Lord Baltimore claimed that the document he signed did not contain the terms he had agreed to, and refused to put the agreement into effect. Beginning in the mid-1730s, violence erupted between settlers claiming various loyalties to Maryland and Pennsylvania. The border conflict between Pennsylvania and Maryland would be known as
Cresap's WarCresap's War was a border conflict between Pennsylvania and Maryland, fought in the 1730s. Hostilities erupted in 1730 with a series of violent incidents prompted by disputes over property rights and law enforcement, and escalated through the first half of the decade, culminating in the...
.
The issue was unresolved until the Crown intervened in 1760, ordering
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron BaltimoreFrederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore.-Biography:...
to accept the 1732 agreement. As part of the settlement, the Penns and Calverts commissioned the English team of
Charles MasonCharles Mason was an English astronomer who made significant contributions to 18th-century science and American history, particularly through his involvement with the survey of the Mason-Dixon line, which came to mark the division between the northern and southern United States...
and
Jeremiah DixonJeremiah Dixon was an English surveyor and astronomer who is perhaps best known for his work with Charles Mason, from 1763 to 1767, in determining what was later called the Mason-Dixon line.Dixon was born in Cockfield, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham in northern England in 1733, the fifth of...
to survey the newly established boundaries between the Province of Pennsylvania, the Province of Maryland, Delaware Colony and parts of Colony and Old Dominion of Virginia.
Between 1763 and 1767, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the
Mason-Dixon lineThe Mason-Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
settling Sussex County's western and southern borders. After Pennsylvania abolished slavery in 1781, the western part of this line and the Ohio River became a border between free and slave states, although Delaware remained a slave state.
In 1769 there was a movement started to move the county seat from Lewes to the area then known as Cross Roads, the present day site of
MiltonMilton is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, in the United States. The population was 1,657 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. The current county seat of
GeorgetownGeorgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 4,927. It is the county seat of Sussex County.Georgetown is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
was settled upon on January 27, 1791 after residents in western Sussex County successfully petitioned the Delaware General Assembly to move the county seat to a central location as roads at the time made it too difficult to reach the county seat in Lewes. Georgetown was not a previously established town and on May 9, 1791, the 10 commissioners headed by President of the State Senate George Mitchell negotiated the purchase of and Commissioner Rhodes Shankland began the survey by laying out "a spacious square of each way." Eventually the Town was laid out in a circle one mile (1.6 km) across, centered on the original square surveyed by Shankland and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Georgetown was named after Senate President George Mitchell.
Sussex County has been known by several names over the years including Susan County, Hoorenkill or Whorekill County as named by the Dutch prior to 1680 when
Kent CountyKent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000 the population was 126,697. The county seat is Dover, the state capital. Named for Kent, an English county.-History:In about 1670...
broke off, Deale County from 1680 to 1682 after being taken over by the British under James Stuart, Duke of York prior to signing over to William Penn, and Durham County when claimed by the Lord's Baltimore during the boundary dispute with the Penn family.
Law and Government
Sussex county's government is composed of an elected legislature and various elective executive heads of departments.
The
county councilA county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
is has five members; all are elected in and for specific geographic subdivisions for four years. This forms the legislative authority of the county, which then chooses a "County Administrator" or executive.
The current county council members are Council President Vance Phillips, George Cole, Joan Deaver, Michael H. Vincent and Samuel R. Wilson.
The additional offices of
Clerk of the PeaceA clerk of the peace was a British office whose responsibility was the records of the Quarter Sessions and the framing of presentments and indictments. They had legal training, so that the could advise the justice of the peace. hearth tax returns were lodged with the clerk of the peace between 1662...
, Register of Deeds, Register of Chancery and
SheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
are elected at large.. These positions are held by George Parish, John Brady, David Wilson Sr., and Eric Swanson, respectively.
Public Schools
Sussex County is served by seven public school districts (K-12 grade levels).
KentKent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000 the population was 126,697. The county seat is Dover, the state capital. Named for Kent, an English county.-History:In about 1670...
is served by six districts and
New CastleNew Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2000 its population was 500,265. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of Townsend...
is served by seven districts.
- Cape Henlopen School District
- Delmar School District
- Indian River School District
- Laurel School District
- Milford School District (also serves Kent County)
- Seaford School District
Seaford School District is a public school district situated in Sussex County in southern Delaware. The district encompasses a six-mile radius from the center of Seaford and serves more than 3,400 students residing within the towns of Seaford and Blades and their outlying neighborhoods.-Secondary...
- Woodbridge School District
The county also contains six of Delaware's seventeen
charter schoolCharter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth...
s:
- Georgetown Charter School
- Southern Delaware School of the Arts
- Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences
- Sussex Technical High School
Sussex Technical High School is a public high school in Georgetown, Delaware. Its enrolment at last count was roughly 1,200 students. As a choice school, each year over 600 eighth-grade students in Sussex County apply for 300 openings. Also known as Sussex Tech, the school is known throughout...
- Delmarva Christian High School
Delmarva Christian High School is a Christian high school located in Georgetown, Delaware, the geographic center, and county seat of Sussex County.-Background:...
- Western Sussex Academy
Those state funded public high schools which participate in sporting events are members of the
Henlopen ConferenceThe Henlopen Conference is a high school sports conference comprising public schools in Kent County and Sussex County in lower Delaware. The teams participate in a variety of sports including football, boys and girls soccer, track and field, cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls...
.
Private Schools
There are several private schools in Sussex County. The schools include Bible Center Christian Academy located in Laurel, Children Craft CO in Seaford,
Christian Tabernacle AcademyChristian Tabernacle Academy is a private Christian school located in Lincoln City, Delaware in northern Sussex County. Christian Tabernacle Academy was founded in 1974, has an enrollment of 164 students, and offers programs from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th Grade. The school year is 180 days and...
in Lincoln City, Destiny Christian School in Georgetown, Eagle's Nest Christian School in Milton, Epworth Christian School in Laurel, Greenwood Mennonite School in Greenwood, Harbor Christian Academy in Ellendale, The Jefferson School in Georgetown, Jesus Is Lord Christian Academy in Georgetown, Lighthouse Christian School in Dagsboro, Lighted Pathway Christian Academy in Seaford, Milford Christian School in Milford, and Seaford Christian Academy in Seaford.
Secondary Schools
There are also several secondary schools in Sussex County.
Delaware Technical & Community CollegeDelaware Technical & Community College is the community college system in the state of Delaware with locations in four cities. It was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 1966 by House Bill 529. The college is fully accredited and several curricula have been accredited by various...
has the largest presence in the county, but students can also attend
Delaware State UniversityDelaware State University , is a historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware with two satellite campus sites in Wilmington, Delaware and Georgetown, Delaware...
,
Goldey-Beacom CollegeGoldey-Beacom College is a private, coeducational college offering bachelors and masters degrees in all areas of business. It was founded in 1886.-Location:...
,
University of DelawareThe University of Delaware is the largest university in Delaware. The main campus is in Newark, with satellite campuses in Dover, Wilmington, Lewes and Georgetown. It is medium-sized – approximately 16,000 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students...
,
Wesley CollegeWesley College is the name of several educational institutions, including:* Wesley College, Auckland, New Zealand* Wesley College, Belize City, Belize* Wesley College, Bristol, England* Wesley College, Colombo, Sri Lanka...
all in Georgetown, the Philadelphia Bible College in Ellendale, and the Beebe Hospital School of Nursing in Lewes.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 1,196 square miles (3,097 km²), of which, 938 square miles (2,428 km²) of it is land and 258 square miles (668 km²) of it (21.58%) is water.
The eastern portion of the county is home to most of Delaware's beaches and many seaside resorts. The western side of the county is center of Delaware's agriculture industry with more acres of arable land under cultivation than anywhere else in the state.
Adjacent Counties
- Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000 the population was 126,697. The county seat is Dover, the state capital. Named for Kent, an English county.-History:In about 1670...
- north
- Cape May County, New Jersey
Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 102,326. This county is part of the Delaware Valley area as well as the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is the Cape May Court House section on Middle...
- northeast¹
- Worcester County, Maryland
Worcester County is the easternmost county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. The county contains the entire length of the state's Atlantic coast line. It is home to the popular vacation resort area of Ocean City. It was named for an Earl of Worcester. Its county seat is Snow Hill...
- south
- Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
- southwest
- Wicomico County, Maryland
Wicomico County is located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Maryland. The county's name is pronounced why-KAHM-ih-koh. It was named for the Wicomico River, which in turn derives from American Indian words wicko mekee, meaning "a place where houses are built," apparently referring to...
- southwest
- Caroline County, Maryland
Caroline County is a wholly rural county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Talbot County to the west, Dorchester County to the south, Kent County, Delaware, to the east, and Sussex County, Delaware, to the southeast. As...
- northwest
¹
across Delaware BayDelaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
; no land border
Major highways
There are three major north-south highways in Sussex County:
- US Route 13
U.S. Route 13 is a north-south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina. One notable segment of the highway is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia.As of 2004, the highway's...
in the west,
- US Route 113 in the middle, and
- State Route 1
Delaware Route 1 is a 103.02 mile long, four-to-six lane highway going from the Maryland-Delaware line on the eastern Atlantic shoreline to the Delaware Turnpike outside of Wilmington....
along the coast
In addition, Sussex has a number of east-west thoroughfares, the primary being
U.S. Route 9U.S. Route 9 is a north-south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the United States. It is one of only two U.S. highways with a ferry connection ; the other being US 10. US 9 is signed east-west in Delaware and north-south on the rest of its route...
. State Routes 16,
18Delaware Route 18 is a state highway located in Sussex County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 318 at the Maryland border east of Federalsburg, Maryland to U.S. Route 9 in Georgetown, Delaware...
,
20Delaware Route 20 is an east-west highway in Sussex County, Delaware. Its western terminus is the Maryland state line just west of Seaford where it continues as Maryland Route 392. Its eastern terminus is Delaware Route 54 west of Fenwick Island. The route passes through the towns of Seaford,...
,
24Delaware Route 24 is a state highway located in Sussex County, Delaware. The route runs east from Maryland Route 348 at the Maryland border east of Sharptown, Maryland to an intersection with Delaware Route 1 in Midway, between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach....
,
30Delaware Route 30 is a state highway in Sussex County, Delaware. The route runs from an intersection with Bi-State Boulevard a short distance west of U.S...
, 54 and 404 also service the area, providing alternatives east-west routes to most municipalities in the county.
Economy
The average home and property price in Sussex County increased 250% in the ten years between 1995 and 2005. Local increases within Sussex County for this period include a 381% increase for
MillsboroMillsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,360 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.- State and U.S. Records :...
and a 609% increase for
MillvilleMillville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 259 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area and lies within Baltimore Hundred.-Geography:...
. Sussex County is served by the Delaware Coast Line Railway, the Maryland & Delaware Railway and the Norfolk Southern Railway.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 156,638 people, 62,577 households, and 43,866 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 167 people per square mile (64/km²). There were 93,070 housing units at an average density of 99 per square mile (38/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.35%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 14.89%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.60%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.75%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.02% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.35% from two or more races. 4.41% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 14.9% were of
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
, 14.3%
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American, 12.9%
IrishThe Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians The Irish...
, 12.5% German and 5.6%
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common Italian culture, descent, and speaking the Italian language as a mother tongue...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 93.3% spoke
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
and 4.3%
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
as their first language.
There were 62,577 households out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.50% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,208, and the median income for a family was $45,203. Males had a median income of $30,811 versus $23,625 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $20,328. About 7.70% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.00% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 943...
- Bethel
Bethel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 195. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Blades
Blades is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 956. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Blades is located at ....
- Bridgeville
Bridgeville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 1,578...
- Dagsboro
Dagsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 519 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Delmar
Delmar is a town located on the border of Delaware and Maryland, along the Transpeninsular Line. Its motto is "The Little Town Too Big for One State." The town shares a central administration, police department, and public works department. The town is located in Sussex County, Delaware, United...
(part of Delmar is in MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
)
- Dewey Beach
Dewey Beach is an incorporated coastal town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 314...
- Ellendale
Ellendale is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 327 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area. Ellendale is the "Gateway to Delaware's Resort Beaches" because it is the city located on U.S...
- Fenwick Island
Fenwick Island is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 357...
- Frankford
Frankford is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 714 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Georgetown
Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 4,927. It is the county seat of Sussex County.Georgetown is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Greenwood
Greenwood is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 837 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Greenwood is located at ....
- Henlopen Acres
Henlopen Acres is a municipality north of Rehoboth Beach in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, and is the third smallest incorporated town in Delaware. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 139, unchanged from the 2000 Census...
- Laurel
Laurel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 3,668 at the 2000 census. It once hosted the Laurel Blue Hens of the Eastern Shore Baseball League.-Law and government:The post of town manager is held by William J...
- Lewes
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,116...
- Milford
Milford is a city in Kent and Sussex counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,201....
(part of Milford is in Kent CountyKent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000 the population was 126,697. The county seat is Dover, the state capital. Named for Kent, an English county.-History:In about 1670...
)
- Millsboro
Millsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,360 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.- State and U.S. Records :...
- Millville
Millville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 259 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area and lies within Baltimore Hundred.-Geography:...
- Milton
Milton is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, in the United States. The population was 1,657 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
- Ocean View
Ocean View is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, in the United States. The population was 1,006 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area and lies in Baltimore Hundred....
- Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 1,556...
- Seaford
Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware. According to the 2000 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,997 . It the principal city of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Sussex County.It is the largest city in...
- Selbyville
Selbyville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 1,645 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Slaughter Beach
Slaughter Beach is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 198 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area. Slaughter Beach was founded in 1681 and incorporated in 1931...
- South Bethany
South Bethany is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 514...
Non-Incorporated Communities
- Gumboro
Gumboro is a small unincorporated community in Sussex County, Delaware, USA. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Lincoln
Lincoln is a small unincorporated community in northern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area. The planner that originally laid out the town planned for it to become the county seat. Lincoln lies on U.S. Route 113 between...
- Long Neck
Long Neck is a census-designated place in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 1,629 at the 2000 census. Long Neck is the only census-designated place in Sussex County...
- Oak Orchard
Oak Orchard, Delaware is an unincorporated community east of the town of Millsboro. Oak Orchard is bounded to the east by Emily Gut and "the Peninsula," and to the north by Delaware Route 24...
Festivals, Fairs, and Events
Sussex County, Delaware is home to several festivals, fairs, and events. Some of the more notable festivals are the Riverfest held in Seaford, the World Championship Punkin Chunkin held at various locations throughout the county since 1986, the Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival, the
Bethany Beach Jazz FuneralJazz funeral is a common name for a funeral tradition with music which developed in New Orleans, Louisiana.The term "jazz funeral" was long in use by observers from elsewhere, but was generally disdained as inappropriate by most New Orleans musicians and practitioners of the tradition...
to mark the end of summer, the
Apple Scrapple FestivalThe Apple Scrapple Festival is an event held annually during the second weekend in October in Bridgeville, Delaware, a small town in Sussex County. The festival begins Friday night with a carnival, food court and street dance. Saturday morning starts out with an all you can eat scrapple breakfast...
held in Bridgeville, the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, the Sea Witch Halloween Festival and Parade in Rehoboth Beach, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival the Nanticoke Indian Pow Wow in Oak Orchard, and the
Return Day ParadeReturn Day is a semi-annual unique festival and ceremony held the Thursday after Election Day in Georgetown, Delaware, during which election results are announced.-History:...
held after elections in even-numbered years in Georgetown.
Newspapers
- Cape Gazette, Lewes
- Coastal Point, Ocean View
- Delaware Coast Press, Rehoboth Beach
- Delaware Wave, Bethany Beach
The Delaware Wave is a Gannett-owned English-language community newspaper based in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The weekly 11-inch by 17-inch tabloid newspaper, published every Wednesday, serves Bethany Beach and the surround area with in depth local coverage. It is one of three Gannett newspapers in...
- Hoy en Delaware, Georgetown
- Laurel Star, Laurel
- Leader & State Register, Seaford
- Milford Beacon, Milford
- Milford Chronicle, Milford
- Seaford Star, Seaford
- Sussex Countian, Georgetown
- Sussex Post, Georgetown
- The Script, Georgetown (published at various times throughout the school year, stories by DelTech students majoring in communications)
Radio Stations
| Call sign | Frequency | City of License | Owner | Format |
|---|
| WAFL WAFL is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Milford, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Salisbury-Ocean City area. The station is currently owned by Delmarva Broadcasting Company. The station is also broadcast on HD radio.-History:The station went on the...
|
0097.7 FM |
Milford |
Delmarva Broadcasting Company |
Hot Adult Contemporary |
| WGBG WGBG is a radio station broadcasting a Classic rock format. Licensed to Seaford, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Salisbury-Ocean City area. The station is currently owned by Great Scott Broadcasting....
|
0098.5 FM |
Seaford |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Classic Rock |
| WGMD WGMD is a radio station licensed to serve Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The station is owned by Resort Broadcasting Company, LLC. It airs a talk radio format....
|
0092.7 FM |
Rehoboth Beach |
Resort Broadcasting Co., LLC |
News Talk Information |
| WJKI WJKI is a radio station licensed to serve Bethany Beach, Delaware. The station is owned by Great Scott Broadcasting. It airs a Classic rock format. The station has been assigned these call letters by the Federal Communications Commission since December 17, 2004....
|
0103.5 FM |
Bethany Beach |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Classic Rock |
| WJWK WJWK is a radio station licensed to serve Seaford, Delaware. The station is owned by Great Scott Broadcasting. It airs a Nostalgia format....
|
1280 AM |
Seaford |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Spanish Variety |
| WJWL WJWL is a radio station licensed to serve Georgetown, Delaware. The station is owned by Great Scott Broadcasting. It airs a Spanish language music format....
|
0900 AM |
Georgetown |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Spanish Variety |
| WKDB WKDB is a radio station broadcasting a Old School R&B format. Licensed to Laurel, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Salisbury-Ocean City Market. The station is currently owned by Great Scott Broadcasting....
|
0095.3 FM |
Laurel |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Contemporary Hit Radio |
| WLBW WLBW is a radio station in the Fenwick Island / Ocean City area of Delaware and Maryland and broadcasting at 92.1 MHz. The station serves the Delmarva area. The station plays an Oldies format from the 1960s and 1970s...
|
0092.1 FM |
Fenwick Island |
Clear Channel Communications |
Oldies |
| WNCL WNCL is a radio station licensed to serve Milford, Delaware. The station is owned by Delmarva Broadcasting Company. It airs an Classic Hits music format....
|
0101.3 FM |
Milford |
Delmarva Broadcasting Company |
Oldies |
WOCMWOCM is an AAA/Rock radio station in the Ocean City area.The radio station's studios are located at the Seacrets bar, restaurant, and nightclub in Ocean City. Both properties are owned by Leighton Moore....
|
0098.1 FM |
Selbyville |
Irie Radio, Inc. |
Album Adult Alternative |
| WOSC |
0095.9 FM |
Bethany Beach |
Clear Channel Communications |
Active Rock |
| WRBG-LP WRBG-LP is a radio station licensed to serve Millsboro, Delaware. The station is owned by Rhythm and Blues Group Harmony Association, Inc. It airs a Variety format featuring a diverse mix of religious and secular music, talk shows, and community affairs programs.The station was assigned the...
|
0107.9 FM |
Millsboro |
Rhythm and Blues Group Harmonty Association, Inc. |
|
| WYUS WYUS is a radio station licensed to serve Milford, Delaware. The station is owned by Delmarva Broadcasting Company. It airs a Spanish language Contemporary Hit Radio music format....
|
0930 AM |
Milford |
Delmarva Broadcasting Company |
Spanish Contemporary |
WZBHWZBH is an active rock radio station with studios in Georgetown, Delaware. Its tower is located outside Frankford, Delaware and stands 486 feet . It is owned by Great Scott Broadcasting and covers all of Lower Delaware and the entire area of Salisbury/Ocean City, Maryland as well as Cape May...
|
0093.5 FM |
Georgetown |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Active Rock |
| WZEB WZEB is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Ocean View, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Salisbury-Ocean City Market. The station is currently owned by Great Scott Broadcasting.- History :...
|
0101.7 FM |
Ocean View |
Great Scott Broadcasting |
Contemporary Hit Radio |
| WZKT |
0105.9 FM |
Lewes |
Delmarva Broadcasting Company |
Country |
Television Stations
- WBOC TV-16, Milton, CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
& FoxFox is a common name for many species of carnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail ....
- WPBD, Seaford, PBS
- WRDE-LP, Rehoboth Beach, Independent (Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area. These stations tend to serve small towns, or communities within large cities in the United States...
channel)
WEWE TV 24 OCEAN60 BROADCASTING DAGSBORO,DE.
External links