New Castle, DE vs Smyrna, DE

Smyrna is moderately more affordable than New Castle, with a 11.5% lower cost of living index. New Castle scores 108 compared to 97 for Smyrna, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of New Castle can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in New Castle is $1,675/month compared to $1,398/month in Smyrna — a 20% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Smyrna has cheaper rent, New Castle actually has lower median home values ($262,100 vs $273,400).

Median household income in New Castle is $92,565 compared to $70,473 in Smyrna (+31.3%). While New Castle is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of New Castle spend roughly 21.7% of their income on rent, less than the 23.8% in Smyrna.