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City · 22,370 residents · New Castle County, Delaware

Bear , Delaware

In Bear, a typical home is worth $304,800 and typical rent is $1,771 a month. Compared with all of New Castle County, typical rent is 22% higher and the typical home value is 13% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $304,800

    13% below the county

    13% below Delaware

    • Bear
    • New Castle
    • Delaware

  • Typical rent

    $1,771a month

    22% above the county

    26% above Delaware

    • Bear
    • New Castle
    • Delaware

  • Typical household income

    $91,687a year

    About the same as the county

    8% above Delaware

    • Bear
    • New Castle
    • Delaware

  • Households that own their home

    65%

    4 points below the county

    8 points below Delaware

    • Bear
    • New Castle
    • Delaware

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$412,430
1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,327 a month
1.1% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Bear is in New Castle County. The FHA loan limit ($630,200 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of New Castle County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Bear apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Wilmington Manor, the typical rent is $1,155: 35% less than in Bear ($1,771).

  2. Nearby, in Wilmington Manor, the typical home value is $240,600: 21% less than in Bear ($304,800).

  3. The typical rent in Bear is $1,771 a month, 22% more than in New Castle County as a whole ($1,448).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Bear

What homes there are in Bear, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Bear; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 32%, less than in New Castle County (53%).

Mobile homes are 19% of homes in Bear, more than in New Castle County (2%).

Year built

The typical home in Bear was built in 1996, 21 years after the typical one in New Castle County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,822 a month

New Castle County: $1,882 a month

Without a mortgage

$695 a month

New Castle County: $616 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

New Castle County: 67%

In Bear, 68% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,822 a month, about the same as in New Castle County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Bear gained value faster than in New Castle County: 45% against 35%.

Rents in Bear rose at about the same pace as in New Castle County: 27% since 2015–2019, against 25%.

To compare: typical income in Bear rose 27%; the home, +45%; the rent, +27%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBearNew Castle CountyDelawareUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate5.0%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.0%2.1%3.4%
People per household 2.562.512.482.53
Drive alone 71%69%72%69%
Carpool 12%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home 15%18%15%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in New Castle County, a household in Bear has 2.56 people on average.

More people carpool to work in Bear than in New Castle County: 12% against 7%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Bear?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Bear, worth $304,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 32% of the typical household income in Bear, which is $91,687 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $106,057 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of New Castle County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Bear. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $10,668 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,475

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$299,279
Total interest
$430,593
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,147 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,139 a month

  • Tight

    $2,139 to $2,751 a month

    Your payment · 32%

  • Hard

    more than $2,751 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Bear ($91,687 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,475
Principal & interest$2,027
Property tax$185
Home insurance$127
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$135

You need at least $10,668 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Bear and New Castle County

Bear is in New Castle County, Delaware. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Bear's own numbers

Typical home value
$304,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,771
Typical yearly household income
$91,687
Households that own their home
65%
Effective property tax rate
0.73%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of New Castle County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$630,200
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,860
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of New Castle County.

Everything about New Castle County

Buying

Buying a home in Bear

A typical home in Bear is worth $304,800: 13% below the county and 13% below Delaware. With the typical household income in Bear ($91,687 a year), a typical home costs 3.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Bear 3.3 years
  • New Castle 3.9 years
  • Delaware 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in New Castle County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in New Castle County rose 72% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of New Castle County.

Period County Delaware U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.8% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +51% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +72% +74% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Bear next to New Castle County, Delaware and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Bear $304,800
  • New Castle $352,200
  • Delaware $352,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Bear $1,771
  • New Castle $1,448
  • Delaware $1,401
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Bear $91,687
  • New Castle $91,166
  • Delaware $84,954
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Bear next to New Castle County and Delaware
Measure Bear New Castle County Delaware U.S.
Typical home value $304,800 $352,200 $352,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,771 $1,448 $1,401 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $91,687 $91,166 $84,954 $80,734
Households that own their home 65% 69% 73% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,238 $2,499 $1,768 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.73% 0.71% 0.5% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 44% 48% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below New Castle County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Bear

For a typical $304,800 home in Bear, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Bear's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,475a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,668
    Cash to close
    $19,812
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $135

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,419a month

    Down payment
    $15,240
    Cash to close
    $24,384
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $145

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,964a month

    Down payment
    $60,960
    Cash to close
    $70,104
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,246a month

    Down payment
    $45,720
    Cash to close
    $54,864
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Bear and for New Castle County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Bear

0.73%of the home’s value each year

$2,238 a year for the typical owner in Bear.

  • Bear 0.73%
  • New Castle 0.71%
  • Delaware 0.5%

What Delaware publishes School property tax credit for owners 65 and older (Delaware Department of Finance)

Exemptions and deadlines in Delaware

Flood risk in New Castle County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of New Castle County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
2,006
Of those, with NFIP insurance
45%
County Delaware U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 5.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 45% 58% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Bear

Typical rent in Bear is $1,771 a month: 22% above the county. In Bear, 44% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of New Castle County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,860 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $35.77 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of New Castle County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,438 $27.65 $57,520
1 bedroom $1,558 $29.96 $62,320
2 bedrooms $1,860 $35.77 $74,400
3 bedrooms $2,216 $42.62 $88,640
4 bedrooms $2,445 $47.02 $97,800

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Bear

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Bear has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,990 in 19702 to $2,270 in 19701.

2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for New Castle County ($1,860).

  • 19701 $2,270$2,700
  • 19702 $1,990$2,370

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Bear when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Bear

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 6 HUD-approved agencies with an office in New Castle County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Bear

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Bear or New Castle County. The ones below are statewide in Delaware: they work in Bear the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Delaware

  • Home Sweet Home

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority second loan of $12,000 at 0%, forgiven 10% for each year you live in the home (all of it after 10 years), for homes up to $285,000; the agency announced it as a temporary program. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Keys4You Home Loan

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority 0% second mortgage equal to 4% of your mortgage, for the down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payments until you sell, refinance or stop living in the home; with the Welcome Home (first-time buyers) or Open Door (any buyer) mortgages. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Take5 Home Loan

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority 0% second mortgage equal to 5% of your mortgage, for the down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payments until you sell, refinance or stop living in the home; only with the Welcome Home mortgage for first-time buyers. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Bear

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Bear, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Neighborgood Partners - Newark Branch

    501 Ogletown Road, Room 306, Newark · 5 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (302) 678-9400

  • Neighborhood House, Incorporated

    1218 B St, Wilmington · 11 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (302) 658-5404

  • CCCS of Delaware Valley, DBA Clarifi

    710 North Lincoln Street, Wilmington · 11 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (800) 989-2227

Every agency in New Castle County All counseling agencies in Delaware

Help in Spanish near Bear

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Bear

HUD’s record names them for Bear or New Castle County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • New Castle County Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers (302) 395-5672

2 other authorities have an office in New Castle County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in New Castle County

These cities are also in New Castle County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about New Castle County Housing in Delaware
See 2 more cities in New Castle County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Bear, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If New Castle County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Bear.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Bear

Short answers with the numbers for Bear and all of New Castle County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Bear?

The typical home value in Bear is $304,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in New Castle County it is $352,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Bear?

Typical rent in Bear is $1,771 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in New Castle County is $1,860.

What is the FHA loan limit in Bear?

Bear uses the FHA limit for all of New Castle County (2026): $630,200 for a one-unit home and $1,211,950 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Bear?

The typical homeowner in Bear pays $2,238 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.73% of the home’s value; in New Castle County, the rate is 0.71%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Bear?

There are 6 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in New Castle County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).