The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 19977 sells for about $338,000, or $195 per square foot.
Prices are roughly flat from a year ago (+0.9%), a market in balance. Homes take about 63 days to sell, which is slow. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,354 a month.
This ZIP has no home sales of its own, so its market figures come from Kent County, Delaware (county-level). Population, rents, hazards, lending and amenities are this ZIP's own readings.
ZIP 19977 — Smyrna
The 19977 housing market shows steady growth with a 4.6% year-over-year price increase, supported by low inventory and consistent demand. While days on market remain low, the market is balancing as buyers react to current interest rate environments. The area remains a popular choice for those seeking affordability within commuting distance of major Delaware employment hubs.
This ZIP is ideal for families and commuters seeking a suburban lifestyle with more affordable housing options compared to the northern parts of the state, while maintaining access to major employment centers.
Median prices moved up 0.9% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 63 days on market with 3.8 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
21% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 98.4% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 5.9% · poverty 9.5% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 6.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.0%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
net influx — more people moved in than out
ZCTA 19977, Kent County DE
Crime rates in the Smyrna area remain generally lower than the national average, with property crime being the most frequently reported incident type. The area is considered safer than many larger urban centers in Delaware.
Schools serving the 19977 ZIP code are primarily part of the Smyrna School District, which maintains a stable reputation for academic performance and community engagement.
The area faces moderate risks related to seasonal storm activity and potential flooding in low-lying coastal plains, necessitating standard flood insurance coverage for many properties.
Economic momentum is driven by proximity to the Dover employment hub and the expansion of logistics and distribution centers along the Route 1 corridor.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Delaware) — Agricultural Lands Preservation and Farmland Assessment Act Exemption: Qualifying land is valued based on its agricultural use productivity capability rather than fair market value, substantially reducing the taxable assessed baseline. State (Delaware) — Senior School Property Tax Credit and Elderly/Disability Exemption Framework: Provides a partial credit/exemption against property taxes. Under the Senior School Property Tax Credit (14 Del. C. § 1919), qualifying seniors receive a tax credit up to 50% of the school property tax up to a statutory dollar cap (e.g., $500 max). At the county level (e.g. State (Delaware) — County Assessment Ratio and Ad Valorem Property Taxation Structure: Delaware levies property taxes at county, municipal, and school district levels (the state itself levies no state-level property tax).
Residents primarily commute via the Route 1 corridor, providing direct access to Dover to the south and the Wilmington/Philadelphia employment centers to the north.
The area features proximity to Lake Como for fishing and boating, several local parks, and easy access to the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge for outdoor recreation.
The rental market is characterized by low vacancy rates and steady demand, driven by the area's affordability relative to northern New Castle County.
The local economy is anchored by government services in nearby Dover, healthcare, and a growing logistics and warehousing sector.
The area is served by the Route 1 highway, which acts as the primary artery for regional transit and commuting.
Development is focused on residential expansion and commercial support services along the Smyrna-Clayton border.
Kent County utilizes a periodic reassessment model to determine property values for tax purposes.
Parcels are subject to Smyrna School District taxes and various municipal utility assessments.
Property insurance premiums are stable but reflect the regional risk profile for wind and storm damage.
Data retrieved from data.census.gov ZCTA-level tables.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
- Frightland4.216.5 mi
- Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park4.819.9 mi
- Chuck E. Cheese47.7 mi
- Xbos4.13.6 mi
- Novus Escape Room - Middletown Delaware4.514.1 mi
- Bally's Dover Casino Resort4.27.8 mi
- Dover Motor Speedway4.57.8 mi
- Frightland4.216.5 mi
- 301 Devils Playground Haunted Attraction4.614.2 mi
- Harvest Ridge Winery4.718.3 mi
- Dover Motor Speedway4.57.8 mi
- Spence's Bazaar4.510.4 mi
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge4.85.9 mi
- Brecknock County Park4.712.4 mi
- Silver Lake Park4.49.4 mi
- Legislative Hall-Delaware's State Capitol4.410.1 mi
- Air Mobility Command Museum4.913.6 mi
- Fort Delaware State Park4.619.2 mi
- Biggs Museum of American Art4.610.1 mi
- John Dickinson Plantation4.514.8 mi
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge4.85.9 mi
- Brecknock County Park4.712.4 mi
- Silver Lake Park4.49.4 mi
- Big Oak County Park4.72.4 mi
- Blackbird State Forest4.77.5 mi
- Summit North Marina Inc4.318.9 mi
- Skipjack Cove Marina4.318.7 mi
- Georgetown Yacht Haven4.118.2 mi
- Delaware City Marina4.518.9 mi
- Sassafras Harbor Marina4.418.4 mi
- St. Anne's Golf Links4.112.7 mi
- Maple Dale Country Club4.48.9 mi
- Garrisons Lake Golf Club3.63.9 mi
- Dover Mall3.97.4 mi
- Fifer's Farm Store & Kitchen4.712.5 mi
- Byler's Store in Dover4.710.5 mi
- Spence's Bazaar4.510.4 mi
- Kohl's4.29.1 mi
- Wilmington Airport4.326.3 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
Popular local spot for fishing, walking trails, and community events.
Significant regional attraction for birdwatching and coastal ecosystem exploration.
Deterministic aggregate of 1 researched property in this ZIP (latest reading each) — each property weighs one; per point, properties lacking the value are excluded. Property-level records (taxes, scores, permits) never roll individually.
No county-record distress flags across 1 researched property on the ARED base layer. Key-figure check: median price diverges 37.2% from the nearest retained anchor (researched-property base layer) — beyond the 12.5% tolerance; an automated validation case is open and the value publishes pending its verdict. Validation: the flagged $387,000 could not be independently corroborated and was removed pending review (no prior-cycle value to revert to); the case is under review in the Command Center.