Quality of Life Score
50.03
State Comparison
Delaware vs Florida
Florida is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Florida, Delaware has higher incomes, Florida has lower state income tax, and Florida gets more sunshine.
Delaware
17
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Florida
14
/ 31
metrics won
DE wins Housing
FL wins Quality of Life
FL wins Climate
DE wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Delaware
vs
Florida
winner
Florida scores higher on quality of life — 8.48 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Florida is 2.7 points cheaper overall
Florida has the lower cost-of-living index. Florida is at 100.5, while Delaware is at 103.2.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $3.21 further in Florida
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $106.45 of local buying power in Florida, versus $103.24 in Delaware.
View detailed comparison
Income
Delaware income is 16.8% higher
Delaware has the higher median household income at $79,325, compared with $67,917 in Florida.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
Florida has the higher minimum wage
Florida has the higher statewide minimum wage at $14.00/hr, compared with $13.25/hr in Delaware.
View detailed comparison
Housing
Florida homes cost about 1.2x more
Delaware has the lower median home value at $296,700, versus $348,000 in Florida.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Florida has lower state income tax
Florida has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 6.60% in Delaware.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Delaware
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 6.6%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Florida
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (100.9 for Delaware, 100.7 for Florida). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Delaware
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Delaware
- Delaware has a lower housing cost index.
- Delaware has lower median home values.
- Delaware shows higher median income.
- Delaware has lower property tax rates on average.
- Delaware job growth trend is stronger.
- Delaware health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Delaware has a higher overall cost of living.
- Delaware has a higher violent crime rate.
- Delaware health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Delaware has fewer sunny days.
Florida
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Florida
- Florida has a lower overall cost of living.
- Florida has a lower violent crime rate.
- Florida health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Florida has more sunny days.
Cons
- Florida has a higher housing cost index.
- Florida has higher median home values.
- Florida shows lower median income.
- Florida has higher property tax rates on average.
- Florida job growth trend is weaker.
- Florida health coverage access proxy is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
DE
|
FL
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Dover | Tallahassee |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
989,948
|
21,538,187
|
|
Median Income
|
$79,325
|
$67,917
|
|
Cost of Living
|
103.2
|
100.5
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$296,700
|
$348,000
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.50%
|
0.76%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
6.60%
|
None (0%)
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.25/hr
|
$14.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.914/gal
|
$4.198/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.51 c/kWh
|
15.92 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.03
|
58.51
|
|
Average Temperature
|
55.3°F
|
70.7°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
97 days
|
101 days
|
|
Land Area
|
2,489 sq mi
|
65,758 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
397.7 per sq mi
|
327.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 7, 1787 (#1)
|
March 3, 1845 (#27)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
17
shown
Saving Money
Florida is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 100.5 vs 103.2 in Delaware. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Delaware is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.914/gal in Delaware vs $4.198/gal in Florida. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
Florida has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $14.00/hr in Florida vs $13.25/hr in Delaware. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Florida has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 15.92 c/kWh in Florida vs 16.51 c/kWh in Delaware. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Delaware is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.74x in Delaware vs 5.12x in Florida. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Delaware is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.5% in Delaware vs 25.5% in Florida. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Delaware vs Florida - Common Questions
Q Is Delaware cheaper to live in than Florida?
Florida has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Florida scores 100.5 versus 103.2 for Delaware - a gap of 2.7 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Delaware or Florida?
$100 goes further in Florida. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $106.45 in Florida, compared with $103.24 in Delaware.
Q Which state is bigger - Delaware or Florida?
Florida is larger, covering 65,758 sq mi compared with 2,489 sq mi for Delaware - roughly 26.4x the size.
Q Does Delaware or Florida have more people?
Florida has the larger population at 21,538,187, compared with 989,948 in Delaware.
Q Which state has higher household income - Delaware or Florida?
Delaware has the higher median household income at $79,325, versus $67,917 in Florida.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Delaware or Florida?
Florida has no state income tax, while Delaware charges up to 6.60%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Delaware or Florida?
Homes are cheaper in Delaware, where the median home value is $296,700, versus $348,000 in Florida.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Delaware or Florida?
Delaware is more densely populated at 397.7 per sq mi people per sq mi. Florida is more spread out at 327.5 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.