Salaries in Wilmington, DE

Let’s be honest: Wilmington, Delaware, isn’t the first city that comes to mind for a salary deep dive. But here’s the thing—this compact city of 71,672 people packs a punch, especially if you’re in marketing or tech. The median household income sits at $50,420, which might not turn heads, but the top earners here are pulling down salaries that would make any economist take notice.

Wilmington’s cost of living index is 103.5—just a hair above the national average—so your paycheck doesn’t stretch as far as it might in, say, Kansas City. A one-bedroom apartment runs about $1,451 a month, which means housing eats up a solid chunk of that median income. But here’s where it gets interesting: for those in the right fields, the purchasing power is surprisingly strong. A marketing manager here earns a median of $159,275, which adjusts to $153,889 after accounting for the COL. That’s real money in a city where the average salary across all roles is $71,052.

Wilmington’s secret sauce? It’s a hub for corporate services, pharma, and tech. You’ve got major players like DuPont and JPMorgan Chase’s credit card division anchoring the job market. The city’s 4% unemployment rate is tight, and with 34.4% of folks holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, it’s a skilled workforce. Construction managers and software developers are also thriving here, with six-figure salaries that hold up well after COL adjustments.

But there’s a catch. If you’re not in one of those top fields, wages can feel stagnant. The median income hasn’t kept pace with the modest cost-of-living increases, and the gap between the average and the top earners is widening. For mid-career professionals in high-demand roles, Wilmington offers a rare combo: urban amenities without the brutal price tag of a major metropolis. For everyone else, it’s a tougher grind.

The data below breaks it all down—salaries, COL adjustments, and who’s really winning in Wilmington’s economy.