Safest Places to Live In DE? (Wilmington, Bear: crime, townhomes, neighborhoods)

[pinkdesert]

We rented for a while at Brandywine Woods in Bear, and was pretty safe. They have some short term rentals so can give you some time to check DE out. zip was 19701.

[jaynemf]

HI, I see that you were relocationg from Colorado to Delaware. I am planning on doing so too. So, I wanted to ask you, have you relocated and what do you think of Delaware. I am orginally from NYC and Colorado is fine, but want to move back to the east coast and to the beach. Please let me know if you did relocate and what you think of Delaware and if you liked living in Colorado. Thank you. Jayne

[delglenn]

Great resource:

http//php.delawareonline.com/crime/

[cgerlach1]

The trouble that you all go to to help people by giving them details and advice regarding places to live in the state, etc, is wonderful. Thanks! I'm moving from Bucks County, PA to Delaware somewhere...and I'm pretty clueless. Your words help.

Much gratitude,
Connie

[ggd1710]

what about Seaford, DE???

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by ggd1710

what about Seaford, DE???

Seaford has higher than average unemployment and drugs have become pretty prevalent in the area. My parents have lived there for many years and have never had a problem, however. Like all places, some neighborhoods are better than others.

[DelawareLiz]

Agree with jm02. Some places are better than others. My husband's family has lived in Blades and Seaford for generations, and my husband left there ten years ago. Some neighborhoods are nice and peaceful, no issues but my in-laws live in an older area that has really gone downhill. Drug dealers, addicts, prostitutes, "halfway houses" filled with wayward teens, many foreclosed homes, homes filled with convicts and multiple families--you name it, it lives around my in-laws. It used to be a decent, middle class community about twenty years ago, but the past ten years it's gotten pretty bad. They live in west Seaford and want to move to a better neighborhood in the Seaford area.

If there is a certain area in Seaford you're looking at, then possibly jm02 or I (I'll ask the husband's advice) can advise you.

[doctorjef]

What factors over the last quarter century account for the deterioration of Seaford?

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

What factors over the last quarter century account for the deterioration of Seaford?

Primarily the long slow decline of the DuPont nylon plant as the town's main employer. The plant reached its employment peak sometime in the late 1960s/early 1970s with something like 4000 employees. That was in a town not much larger - counting men, women and children! This meant that DuPont employed not only the overwhelming number of adults in Seaford, but quite a significant number in the neighboring towns. In addition to these being well-payig jobs, at that time, many folks who worked there held PhDs as Seaford was a key research center for DuPont fibers. This meant the town had to offer many more amenities than it does now in order the satisfy the demands for the workforce - most important among these being a quality school system. Much of this was bought and paid for with DuPont dollars.

The long slow decline of employment at the DuPont plant over the ensuing decades reflected a parallel decline in the town. With Koch now in charge, there are now something like 130 employees total, and with that, making a fraction of what DuPont paid its staff. Quite a change. It's remarkable Seaford has actually grown in that time rather than dried up and withered. That said, it's a very different culture there from the heyday of DuPont.

[shawnie25]

I don't know anything about Delaware, but I am looking to relocate there. I was looking at the School called Wilmington Charter is that a good school and if so is Wilmington a great / good place to bring up my 11 year old soon

thank you