COUNTY REPORT DE

Sussex County, Delaware

24 ZIP codes · Avg score 85/100 · Grade A · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Sussex County: A.

No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.

Within Sussex County's 24 tracked ZIP codes, safety indicators remain above the national average with few health-based violations on record.

How Sussex County Compares

Sussex County85/100
Delaware avg81/100
National avg73/100

How Sussex County Compares

A
County Grade
85/100
Avg Safety Score
24
ZIP Codes
53
Water Systems

Sussex County scores 4 points above the Delaware state average (81/100) and 12 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

A
County Grade
85
Avg Safety Score
24
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 19963 (100/100)
Lowest ZIP: 19947 (81/100)
$365K
Median Home Value
$1,650
Avg Remediation (45% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Sussex County, Delaware

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 14.8 (asthma 10.5%, diabetes 14.2%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,981, driven primarily by sea_level

37.7% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

Violation History (2022–2025)

↓ Improving trend

EPA violation counts by year across Sussex County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2022
1 (1 health)
2023
8 (8 health)
2024
4 (4 health)
2025
2 (2 health)

Peak year: 2023 with 8 violations. Past 5 years: 15 total (15 health-based). Health-based violations are declining versus the prior 2-year window.

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.5% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 14.2% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 33.8% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1995
Median Build Year
37.7%
Pre-1978 Housing
33/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
13%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
Moderate
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,981

Sea Level Rise $2,188/yr
Flood $1,496/yr
Energy Code Gap $235/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

153,060 housing units in Sussex County

Pre-1940 5%
1940–1959 6%
1960–1979 16%
1980–1999 29%
2000+ 44%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Sussex County

$365K
Median Home Value
$1,650
Est. Remediation Cost
0.5%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Sussex County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Sussex County residents

Asthma 10.5% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 14.2% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 33.8% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Sussex County

8 community water systems serving Sussex County.

Show all 8 water systems

53 total water systems serve Sussex County.

Systems with the most violations in Sussex County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in Sussex County

24 ZIP codes tracked in Sussex County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 19963 Milford 100 A 0 $291K
2 19956 Laurel 97 A 6 (3 health) $234K
3 19973 Seaford 96 A 8 (3 health) $254K
4 19807 Wilmington 83 B 2 $895K
5 19930 Bethany Beach 83 B 2 $798K
6 19939 Dagsboro 83 B 2 $365K
7 19940 Delmar 83 B 0 $226K
8 19945 Frankford 83 B 1 $410K
9 19951 Harbeson 83 B 0 $428K
10 19958 Lewes 83 B 0 $489K
11 19966 Millsboro 83 B 1 $282K
12 19967 Millville 83 B 0 $450K
13 19968 Milton 83 B 0 $419K
14 19970 Ocean View 83 B 2 $490K
15 19971 Rehoboth Bch 83 B 0 $561K
16 19975 Selbyville 83 B 0 $430K
17 19944 Fenwick Island 82 B 3 $1160K
18 19947 Georgetown 81 B 4 (3 health) $294K
19 19931 Bethel $276K
20 19933 Bridgeville 1 $231K
21 19941 Ellendale 0 $226K
22 19950 Greenwood 2 (1 health) $273K
23 19960 Lincoln 0 $276K
24 19969 Nassau

Recommended Buyer Guides for Sussex County

Editorial methodology pairs each documented risk in this county with the buyer category that addresses it, drawing on water-quality detections, housing-stock lead exposure, EPA Radon Zone designation, and FEMA flood and wildfire ratings. NSF-certified options surface where applicable, and products that match the specific contaminant take priority.

Overview

Sussex County in Delaware covers 24 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of A (85/100) across 18 scored records.

12 of 22 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 4 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Delaware Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Sussex County?
Sussex County receives a grade of A, indicating generally safe tap water across its 24 ZIP codes.
How many water systems serve Sussex County?
Sussex County is served by 53 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 24 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Sussex County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Sussex County is sea_level. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $3,981 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Sussex County?
The median home build year in Sussex County is 1995. 37.7% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Sussex County compare to Delaware?
Sussex County has an average Home Safety Score of 85/100 under model 4.0.0, which is above the Delaware state average of 81/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Sussex County, DE: HSS 85/100; Lead Above EPA Limits. https://zipcheckup.com/county/delaware/sussex/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-delaware-sussex,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Sussex County, DE: HSS 85/100; Lead Above EPA Limits}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/delaware/sussex/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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