Delaware
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Delaware vs Texas
Texas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Texas, Delaware has higher incomes, Texas has lower state income tax, and Texas gets more sunshine.
Delaware
DE · South
18 / 33
metrics won
Winner
VS
Texas
TX · South
15 / 33
metrics won
DE wins Housing
TX wins Quality of Life
TX wins Climate
DE wins Demographics
DE wins Taxes
TX wins Geography
DE 18
15 TX
What matters to you?
Tell us your priority, get a verdict
Your match
Delaware fits you better
Delaware wins 18 of 33 scored metrics against Texas.
Your match — Saving Money
Texas is cheaper overall
Cost-of-living index: 94.3 in Texas vs 103.2 in Delaware. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses. See full data →
Your match — Jobs
Delaware has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $13.25/hr in Delaware vs $7.25/hr in Texas. Matters most for hourly and entry-level work. See full data →
Your match — Housing
Delaware is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.74x in Delaware vs 4.40x in Texas. Lower means the median home is easier to afford on a median income. See full data →
Your match — Weather
Texas is warmer overall
Average annual temperature: 64.8°F in Texas vs 55.3°F in Delaware. See full data →
Your match — Family & Health
Delaware looks better for families
Delaware wins more family-oriented signals in this matchup, including violent crime rate, life expectancy, uninsured rate, compared with Texas. See full data →
Run the numbers
What's your salary really worth?
Texas
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Illustrative estimate only. Uses top marginal state income tax rate, BEA Regional Price Parity, and median housing costs — excludes federal tax, utilities, insurance, childcare, and debt.
Full comparison
Every metric, side by side
Pick a category. Each row opens the full breakdown for that metric — national rank, chart, and sourcing.
Capital City
Dover
vs
Austin
State Color
Solid Blue
vs
Solid Red
Population
1,069,781
32,101,064
Median Income
$79,325
$66,963
Cost of Living
103.2
94.3
Median Housing Value
$296,700
$294,400
Property Tax
0.50%
1.49%
State Income Tax
6.60%
None (0%)
Minimum Wage
$13.25/hr
$7.25/hr
Gas Price
$3.914/gal
$3.824/gal
Electricity Rates
16.51 c/kWh
15.69 c/kWh
Livability Score
50.03
47.21
Average Temperature
55.3°F
64.8°F
Sunny Days
97 days
135 days
Land Area
2,489 sq mi
268,596 sq mi
Population Density
429.8 per sq mi
119.5 per sq mi
Statehood
December 7, 1787 (#1)
December 29, 1845 (#28)
Population
1,069,781
32,101,064
Population Density
429.8 per sq mi
119.5 per sq mi
Bachelor's Degree
36.5%
34.2%
Advanced Degree
15.5%
12.6%
Net Domestic Migration
+6,900
+67,300
Population Growth Since 2020
+8.1%
+10.1%
Livability Score
50.03
47.21
Best State to Live In
50.03
47.21
Cost of Living
103.2
94.3
Gas Price
$3.914/gal
$3.824/gal
Gas Tax
23.00 c/gal
20.00 c/gal
Electricity Rates
16.51 c/kWh
15.69 c/kWh
Commute Time
25.7 min
26.6 min
Car Insurance Cost
$2,396/yr
$2,577/yr
Average Credit Score
713
692
Average Temperature
55.3°F
64.8°F
Summer Temperature
74.2°F
81.1°F
Winter Temperature
36.1°F
47.9°F
Sunny Days
97 days
135 days
Annual Precipitation
45.7 in
28.9 in
Average Wind Speed
7.1 mph
10.1 mph
Lightning Density
79.8 per sq mi
154.9 per sq mi
Median Housing Value
$296,700
$294,400
Median Gross Rent
$1,222/mo
$1,232/mo
Median Monthly Owner Costs With Mortgage
$1,821/mo
$2,211/mo
Owner Costs Without Mortgage
$596/mo
$703/mo
Homeownership Rate
74.0%
62.6%
Home Value to Income Ratio
3.74x
4.40x
Rent to Income Ratio
18.5%
22.1%
Owner Costs to Income
16.6%
18.0%
Home Insurance Cost
$976/yr
$6,854/yr
State Income Tax
6.60%
None (0%)
State Sales Tax
None (0%)
6.25%
Property Tax
0.50%
1.49%
Total Tax Burden
6.28%
7.69%
Grocery Tax Rate
0% (No state tax)
0% (Exempt)
Estate and Inheritance Tax
No State Death Tax
vs
No State Death Tax
Annual Vehicle Property Tax
No
vs
No
State Color
Solid Blue
vs
Solid Red
Presidential Voting Margin
Dem +14.70
Rep +13.66
Swing State / Battleground
Not a battleground
vs
Not a battleground
Governor Party
Democratic
vs
Republican
State House Control
Democratic
vs
Republican
State Senate Control
Democratic
vs
Republican
Trifecta
Democratic Trifecta
vs
Republican Trifecta
Electoral Votes
3
40
Gun Laws Status
Restrictive
vs
Permissive
Alcohol Laws
License State
vs
License State
Marijuana Legalization
Legal
vs
Medical
Minimum Marriage Age
18 (banned)
16
Gun Ownership
25.3%
44.9%
Abortion Law Status
Legal - Viability (~24 weeks (viability))
vs
Total Ban (Banned)
Right-to-Work Law
No
vs
Yes
Land Area
2,489 sq mi
268,596 sq mi
Highest Point
Ebright Azimuth (448 ft)
Guadalupe Peak (8,751 ft)
Statehood
December 7, 1787 (#1)
December 29, 1845 (#28)
Capital City
Dover
vs
Austin
Region
South
vs
South
Life Expectancy
76.9 yrs
76.2 yrs
Older Adult Health Outcomes
54.2
30.5
Uninsured Rate
6.5%
16.4%
Obesity Rate
36.6%
35.6%
Healthcare Quality Score
50.4
35.6
Infant Mortality Rate
7.77 per 1,000
5.70 per 1,000
Drug Overdose Death Rate
33.4 per 100,000
15.8 per 100,000
Violent Crime Rate
404.0 per 100k
431.8 per 100k
Property Crime Rate
1991.2 per 100k
2338.9 per 100k
AZA-Accredited Zoos
1
17
Casinos
3 (Bally's Dover)
4 (Kickapoo Lucky Eagle)
UFO Sightings per 100,000
50.3 per 100K
25.6 per 100K
Most Popular Car
Tesla
vs
Ford
K-12 Education Rank
#21
#38
High School Graduation Rate
88.0%
90.0%
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
14.8:1
School Spending
$22,201
$12,444
Teacher Salary
$76,570
$63,749
Public School Ranking
#21
#34
Student Loan Debt
$38,856
$33,770
College Graduation Rate
43.8%
45.3%
Median Income
$79,325
$66,963
Regional Price Parity
100.9
97.2
Purchasing Power of $100
$103.24
$109.17
Poverty Rate
10.5%
13.7%
Employment/Population Ratio
59.6%
62.6%
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
4.3%
Job Growth
1.1%
0.9%
Infant Childcare Cost
$16,220/yr
$10,706/yr
Income Needed to Live Alone
$97,469/yr
$90,771/yr
Water Quality Score
81.3/100 (A)
78.1/100 (B)
Annual Power Outage Hours
1.9 hours/yr
21.2 hours/yr
Road Quality Rank
#16
#36
Renewable Electricity Share
4.3%
33.1%
Largest Airport
Wilmington Airport (ILG)
vs
Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
The biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Delaware
Pros
- Delaware has a lower housing cost index.
- Delaware shows higher median income.
- Delaware has lower property tax rates on average.
- Delaware has a lower violent crime rate.
- Delaware job growth trend is stronger.
- Delaware health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
Cons
- Delaware has a higher overall cost of living.
- Delaware has higher median home values.
- Delaware has fewer sunny days.
Texas
Pros
- Texas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Texas has lower median home values.
- Texas has more sunny days.
Cons
- Texas has a higher housing cost index.
- Texas shows lower median income.
- Texas has higher property tax rates on average.
- Texas has a higher violent crime rate.
- Texas job growth trend is weaker.
- Texas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
People also ask
Delaware vs Texas — common questions
QIs Delaware cheaper to live in than Texas?
Texas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Texas scores 94.3 versus 103.2 for Delaware - a gap of 8.9 points.
QWhere does $100 go further - Delaware or Texas?
$100 goes further in Texas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $109.17 in Texas, compared with $103.24 in Delaware.
QWhich state is bigger - Delaware or Texas?
Texas is larger, covering 268,596 sq mi compared with 2,489 sq mi for Delaware - roughly 107.9x the size.
QDoes Delaware or Texas have more people?
Texas has the larger population at 32,101,064, compared with 1,069,781 in Delaware.
QWhich state has higher household income - Delaware or Texas?
Delaware has the higher median household income at $79,325, versus $66,963 in Texas.
QWhich state has lower income taxes - Delaware or Texas?
Texas has no state income tax, while Delaware charges up to 6.60%.
QIs housing cheaper in Delaware or Texas?
Homes are cheaper in Texas, where the median home value is $294,400, versus $296,700 in Delaware.
QWhich state is more densely populated - Delaware or Texas?
Delaware is more densely populated at 429.8 per sq mi people per sq mi. Texas is more spread out at 119.5 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related comparisons
Methodology
Figures combine government datasets, named research sources, and clearly labeled derived scores. Dataset reviewed July 23, 2026.
Demographics & geography
2020 Census, American Community Survey, TIGER/Line Files, National Archives
Income, housing & cost of living
American Community Survey, BLS, BEA Regional Price Parities, and named market studies
Wages & energy
U.S. Department of Labor, AAA, U.S. EIA
Politics & law
NCSL, Giffords Law Center, NABCA
Data periods differ by metric. Open any individual comparison metric to see its primary source, data period, review date, and calculation note. Daily-changing fields such as gas prices are stored snapshots unless the page explicitly says a live feed is used.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau — TIGER/Line Files
- National Archives
- BEA — Regional Price Parities
- BLS — State Labor Market Data
- NOAA — U.S. Climate Normals
- FBI — Crime Data Explorer
- FEMA — National Risk Index
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws
- AAA — Gas Prices
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electricity
- NCSL — State Partisan Composition
- Giffords Law Center — Annual Gun Law Scorecard
- NABCA
- NCSL — State Medical Cannabis Laws
See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.