Updated July 2026 · Official registry data

Delaware Sex Offender Registry Statistics

3,410

registered sex offenders live in Delaware — that's 1 in every 290 residents, or 34.4 per 10,000, 43% above the national average.

Wilmington: 668 registered offenders (94.2 per 10,000 residents)Wilmington Dover: 402 registered offenders (101.8 per 10,000 residents)Dover Newark: 259 registered offenders (84.6 per 10,000 residents)Newark Smyrna: 208 registered offenders (161.4 per 10,000 residents)Smyrna Milford: 76 registered offenders (68.0 per 10,000 residents)Milford Middletown: 32 registered offenders (13.8 per 10,000 residents)Middletown
Red dots show where Delaware's 3,410 registered offenders live; blue bubbles are the 6 largest cities — click one to open that city's breakdown.
1,148
Classified Tier 3 — the highest-risk designation in Delaware registry records
44
Listed as absconders — whereabouts currently unverified by the registry
68
Delaware cities & towns with at least one registered offender
161.4
Per 10,000 residents in Smyrna — highest rate of the major cities (4.7× the state average)
+43%
Delaware's rate vs. the national average of ~24 per 10,000
City breakdown

Sex offenders by city in Delaware

Registered sex offender counts for the 6 largest cities in Delaware, with each city's rate per 10,000 residents. Raw counts track population — the per-capita column is the fair comparison, and the spread is dramatic: Smyrna's rate is 12× Middletown's. Click a city for its full breakdown, or a column header to sort.

Key facts
  • Wilmington, Dover, Newark account for 81% of the registered offenders across the 6 cities tracked.
  • Adjusted for population, living in Smyrna means 12× more registered offenders per resident than Middletown.
  • Registered sex offenders live in 68 different Delaware cities and towns — no community is exempt.
#CityRegistered offendersPopulationPer 10,000 residents
1 Wilmington
668
70,889 94.2
2 Dover
402
39,498 101.8
3 Newark
259
30,621 84.6
4 Smyrna
208
12,890 161.4
5 Milford
76
11,184 68.0
6 Middletown
32
23,201 13.8

Counts as of July 2026, compiled from official registry records. City populations from the 2020 U.S. Census. red = 1.5× the state rate or more · green = well below the state rate.

City-by-city breakdowns

Every Delaware city we track has its own page with neighborhood-level numbers, risk levels, and recent registrations:

Every Delaware municipality with registered offenders (top 60 shown)
Wilmington 668Dover 402Newark 259Smyrna 208New Castle 202Georgetown 192Seaford 141Laurel 137Millsboro 118Felton 103Harrington 81Milford 76Bear 72Magnolia 61Bridgeville 56Greenwood 48Lincoln 40Lewes 39Delmar 33Milton 33Middletown 32Clayton 30Frankford 28Dagsboro 26Townsend 26Rehoboth Beach 25Claymont 24Camden Wyoming 23Ellendale 22Hartly 22Frederica 21Camden 16Selbyville 13Ocean View 13Elsmere 10Houston 9Blades 8Harbeson 8Viola 8Wyoming 6Hockessin 6Marydel 6Delaware City 6Leipsic 6Woodside 5Kenton 4Rehoboth 4Christiana 4Cheswold 4Saint Georges 3Millville 3Hartley 2Farmington 2Odessa 2Camden-Wyoming 1Long Neck 1Hurlock 1Frederick 1Wilimgton 1Newark Delaware 1
The rules in Delaware

Delaware sex offender laws & risk levels

Three risk tiers. Delaware assigns Tier 1 (lowest) through Tier 3 (highest). Tier 2 and Tier 3 offenders appear on the public website; most Tier 1 offenders are excluded from public view, so the full registry is larger than the public search shows.

500-foot school rule. Delaware restricts certain offenders — generally those whose victims were children — from residing within 500 feet of a school. Supervision conditions can add further limits.

Registration & verification. Registrants must keep their address, employment, and schooling current with the registry, and verify in person on a recurring schedule — more frequently for higher-risk or higher-tier registrants. Failure to register or verify is itself a crime and commonly appears as a listed offense on registry records.

Current risk-level breakdown in Delaware:

Tier 2
2,071
Tier 3
1,143
Registered
16
Not Leveled
13
Level 2
9
Common questions

Delaware sex offender registry FAQ

How many registered sex offenders live in Delaware?

As of July 2026, there are 3,410 registered sex offenders in Delaware — about 34.4 for every 10,000 residents, 43% above the national average. Counts change as offenders register, move, or are removed from the registry.

Which city in Delaware has the most sex offenders?

Wilmington has the most registered sex offenders in Delaware with 668. Raw counts track population, so the fairer comparison is per capita: adjusted for population, Smyrna has the highest rate among major cities at 161.4 per 10,000 residents, while Middletown has the lowest at 13.8.

How do I find sex offenders near my address in Delaware?

Use the free Predator Map app to search any Delaware address and see registered offenders around it on a map, with photos and offense details from official registry records. You can also search the official Delaware State Police Sex Offender Registry website directly.

Why is this number different from the official Delaware registry website?

Public registry websites only show what the state chooses to publish. Delaware's public site shows Tier 2 and Tier 3 offenders; most Tier 1 (lowest-risk) registrants aren't published. Statistics on this page are compiled from aggregated official registry records, so they can differ from — and often exceed — what a manual search of the public site returns.

Does Delaware restrict where sex offenders can live?

500-foot school rule. Delaware restricts certain offenders — generally those whose victims were children — from residing within 500 feet of a school. Supervision conditions can add further limits. Address-level monitoring matters more than assumptions about "safe" neighborhoods.

What do Delaware's tiers mean?

Delaware assigns Tier 1 (lowest) through Tier 3 (highest) based on the offense. Tier 3 offenders verify most frequently and are always public; most Tier 1 offenders don't appear on the public website. There are currently 1,148 registrants at the highest classification in Delaware.

How current is this data?

Statistics on this page are compiled from official state registry records and refreshed monthly. This page was last updated in July 2026. Always verify individual records with the official state registry.

Can I get alerts when a sex offender moves near me in Delaware?

Yes. Predator Map Pro monitors up to 5 addresses daily and sends push and email alerts when a registered offender moves in nearby, a new offender registers, or someone moves away.

Is it legal to look up sex offenders near me?

Yes. Registry information is public record under federal and state law (Megan's Law), and anyone may search it to protect themselves and their family. What the law prohibits is using registry information to harass, threaten, or commit a crime against a registrant — misuse can be prosecuted.

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Methodology: Statistics are compiled from aggregated official state registry records and refreshed monthly. City figures count the city listed on each registry record. Per-capita rates use 2020 U.S. Census populations. Aggregated counts can exceed what public registry websites display because some classification levels are excluded from public searches. Figures are estimates and change daily as registries update — always verify individual records with the official state registry.