Delaware’s poorest county: Sussex

Filed in Delaware by on April 19, 2012

* Poverty rate: 13.9%
* Poverty rate of residents under 18: 24%
* Median household income: $48,582

The Sussex poverty rate is below the national average (15%), Sussex has high home values and a homeownership rate that’s higher than the state average. With only three counties in Delaware, it’s not hard for Sussex to claim the poorest county title.

The poverty rate figure means that about 27,400 of Sussex’s 197,145 residents fall below the poverty line, defined as $22,314 for a family of four.

If you factor in the income spent on expenses such as medical costs, child care and mortgage payments, the number of Delawareans whose remaining income falls below the poverty line is much higher.

Taken from MSN.Money’s snap shot of each state’s poorest county.

About the Author ()

Jason330 is a deep cover double agent working for the GOP. Don't tell anybody.

Comments (22)

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  1. Freedom Fries says:

    Sussex County is the poorest county in Delaware?!?! No duh. Ground breaking reporting right there. Tell us something we don’t know.

  2. jason330 says:

    Did you know that the “poverty line” is defined as $22,314 for a family of four?

    Okay then.

  3. cassandra_m says:

    Sockpuppetry is a no no, Freedom Fries.

  4. Freedom Fries says:

    Yes I did. For people who pay attention to the political world around them this is common knowledge.

  5. Geezer says:

    “Sussex County is the poorest county in Delaware?!?! No duh. Ground breaking reporting right there. Tell us something we don’t know.”

    I’m sorry, did someone force you to read the item?

    Cass: Wouldn’t the proper response to sock puppetry be to reveal what the sock puppet’s other aliases are?

  6. Freedom Fries says:

    I’m just saying that our political primary is days away, we have nominees coming to our state left and right, and we’re reporting that people in Sussex are poor. I come to this website to read interesting and engaging articles. This one wasn’t worth reading that’s all.

  7. nemski says:

    Yet apparently worth commenting on.

  8. Freedom Fries says:

    Sorry that I like to voice my opinion.

  9. socialistic ben says:

    I think this is totally relevant to the upcoming primary. Sussex, Delaware’s more conservative county is also the poorest. The main show is a meaningless presidential primary, so im sure people want to know what failed conservative policies they want to keep trying that will effect the poverty level in sussex.

  10. nemski says:

    Imagine would the poverty rate would be if you took out Rehoboth Beach, Lewes and other tourist towns.

  11. jason330 says:

    The 100 counties with the lowest per capita income are in in red states.

    Number of counties by state in the 100 poorest counties: Texas, 17; Kentucky, 16; Mississippi, 14; South Dakota, 10; Louisiana, 5; Alabama, 4; Georgia, 4; Montana, 4; New Mexico, 4; North Dakota, 3; Arizona, 2; Idaho, 2; Nebraska, 2; Tennessee, 2; West Virginia, 2; Alaska, 1; Arkansas, 1; Colorado, 1; Florida, 1; Missouri, 1; Oklahoma, 1; South Carolina, 1; Utah, 1; Wisconsin, 1.

    Twenty-six states do not have any counties in the 100 poorest counties.

  12. Geezer says:

    “our political primary is days away, we have nominees coming to our state left and right, and we’re reporting that people in Sussex are poor.”

    Oh, my aching sides! Nominees left and right! A primary! Any bets on turnout? Any idea how much money the state will waste holding it?

  13. Dana Garrett says:

    Clearly, the few rich people in Sussex County need more tax cuts to fix this problem.

  14. Delaware Dem says:

    hey French Fries, “our” political primary is not days away. Your political primary is. You speak of the Delaware Republican Presidential Primary, which is being contested by Williard Mittens Romney, Newton LeRoy Gingrich and Ronald Paul.

    Mitt will win, as he will win every single primary from here on out. Your presidential primary is over. Mittens is your nominee. It is time for you to accept it.

  15. MJ says:

    Colorado is not a red state, dark purple maybe, but not red.

  16. Liberal Elite says:

    @j “* Poverty rate: 13.9% * Median household income: $48,582”

    Well… Considering that the US national median household income is $49,445 and that the national poverty rate is 15.1%, you’re looking at a pretty average county. Why they are so infested with wing-nuttery is a separate question.

  17. Freedom Fries says:

    Hey DEl Dems, I’m a democrat thanks for asking. All I was saying was that there are more pressing issues in our state than to tell us information we already know.

    P.S. Real original name

  18. walt says:

    POVERTY! Yes, Sussex is poor for incomes unless you have a good government job. But rich in tradition and quality of life. The median income is more than double what it was when I moved here in the 80’s, and it shows with the newer homes and cars and such the “poor” have these days. It’s getting better in that regard.

  19. Geezer says:

    “All I was saying was that there are more pressing issues in our state than to tell us information we already know.”

    News flash: The world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m sure some people who read the blog didn’t know it.

    The information is a lot more valuable than whatever horseshit Newt is peddling from the back of his truck these days.

  20. SussexAnon says:

    I think Sussex also has the highest unemployment rate in either the whole state or among the 3 counties.

    As for Newt, last nights event was sponsored by the Delaware Family Policy Council and Delaware Strong Families.

    Insert “thrice married, divorced while wife #2 was fighting cancer” comment here.

  21. anon says:

    Insert “thrice married, divorced while wife #2 was fighting cancer” comment here.

    Funny, but meaningless to the DFPC. Don’t forget, they endorsed a proven liar-fruitcake-witch in 2010.

    Nicole Theis is Delaware’s own Anita Bryant, right down to the bouffant hairdo.

  22. Andy says:

    Take away the beech areas and the out of state retirees who retired there on pension and see what the poverty rate is in Sussex