Sussex County, DE

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Population

215,551

2.05% growth

Median Age

48.3


Median Household Income

$57,901

6.79% growth

Poverty Rate

12%


Number of Employees

94,271

2.62% growth

Median Property Value

$242,900

4.88% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Sussex County, DE had a population of 216k people with a median age of 48.3 and a median household income of $57,901. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Sussex County, DE grew from 211,224 to 215,551, a 2.05% increase and its median household income grew from $54,218 to $57,901, a 6.79% increase.

The population of Sussex County, DE is 74.9% White Alone, 12.1% Black or African American Alone, and 9.21% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Sussex County, DE speak a non-English language, and 95.8% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Sussex County, DE are Delaware Learning Institute of Cosmetology (39 degrees awarded in 2017) and Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center (17 degrees).

The median property value in Sussex County, DE is $242,900, and the homeownership rate is 79.2%. Most people in Sussex County, DE commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Sussex County, DE is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Lee Cannon

United StatesDelawareSalisbury, MD-DE

Economy

The economy of Sussex County, DE employs 94.3k people. The largest industries in Sussex County, DE are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,431 people), Retail Trade (13,353 people), and Manufacturing (8,940 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($55,208), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($48,333), and Public Administration ($47,551).

Median household income in Sussex County, DE is $57,901. Males in Sussex County, DE have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,179. The income inequality in Sussex County, DE (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$57,901

2017 value

± $1,291

6.79%

1 Year Growth

± 2.8%

Households in Sussex County, DE have a median annual income of $57,901, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $54,218 in 2016, which represents a 6.79% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Sussex County, DE compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Delaware.

$65,884

Average Male Salary

± $3,695

$52,179

Average Female Salary

± $2,576

In 2017, full-time male employees in Delaware made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Delaware by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Delaware.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $68,064 ± $11,800

  2. White

    $53,447 ± $2,550

  3. Black

    $42,061 ± $3,431

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Delaware workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.27 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Delaware by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sussex County, DE is from Delaware.

0.454

2017 Wage GINI

0.447

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Delaware was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.5% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Delaware was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Delaware in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Delaware across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 511.01

  2. Census Tract 511.03

  3. Census Tract 512.02

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Sussex County, DE was Census Tract 511.01 with a value of $110,625, followed by Census Tract 511.03 and Census Tract 512.02, with respective values of $100,750 and $84,438.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Sussex County, DE colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

12% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sussex County, DE (25.5k out of 212k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    16,467 ± 871

  2. Black

    6,150 ± 573

  3. Hispanic

    4,975 ± 509

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Sussex County, DE is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

94.3k

2017 Value

± 2,046

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 2.98%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Sussex County, DE grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 91.9k employees to 94.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sussex County, DE, are Sales & Related Occupations (11,479 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,174 people), and Management Occupations (9,857 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sussex County, DE.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Sussex County, DE, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (11,479 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,174 people), and Management Occupations (9,857 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Sussex County, DE has an unusually high number of residents working as Community & Social Service Occupations (1.41 times higher than expected), Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (1.39 times), and Installation, Maintenance, & Repair Occupations (1.34 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Sussex County, DE, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($96,645), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($67,222), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($59,982).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

94.3k

2017 Value

± 2,046

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 2.98%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Sussex County, DE grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 91.9k employees to 94.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sussex County, DE, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,431 people), Retail Trade (13,353 people), and Manufacturing (8,940 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sussex County, DE, though some of these residents may live in Sussex County, DE and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Sussex County, DE, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,431 people), Retail Trade (13,353 people), and Manufacturing (8,940 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Sussex County, DE has an unusually high number of Construction (1.49 times higher than expected), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1.47 times), and Public Administration (1.25 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Sussex County, DE, by median earnings, are Utilities ($55,208), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($48,333), and Public Administration ($47,551).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Delaware to other states, or from other states to Delaware.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Pharmaceuticals

    $14.6B

  2. Basic chemicals

    $6.24B

  3. Gasoline

    $5.09B

In 2015, the top outbound Delaware product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $14.6B, followed by Basic chemicals ($6.24B) and Gasoline ($5.09B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Delaware products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Delaware state.

$51.9B

2020 Value

$80.6B

Projected 2045 Value

55.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Delaware trade was $51.9B. This is expected to increase 55.4% to $80.6B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Delaware trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Delaware to other states, or from other states to Delaware.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Maryland

    $5.92B

  2. Ohio

    $4.9B

  3. Massachusetts

    $3.76B

In 2015, the top outbound Delaware domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Maryland with $5.92B, followed by Ohio with $4.9B and Massachusetts and $3.76B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Delaware shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

92.2% of the population of Sussex County, DE has health coverage, with 39.9% on employee plans, 17.8% on Medicaid, 19.5% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 1.1% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Sussex County, DE was $10,254 in 2014. This is a 5% increase from the previous year ($9,766).

Primary care physicians in Sussex County, DE see 1529 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.791% increase from the previous year (1517 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 4005 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 612 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Kent County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (13.7%). Additionally, Kent County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (33.6%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,529 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Sussex County, DE see an average of 1,529 patients per year. This represents a 0.791% increase from the previous year (1,517 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Sussex County, DE in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

$10,254

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,806

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,921

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,460

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Delaware (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5%, from $9,766 to $10,254.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

7.8%

Uninsured

39.9%

Employer Coverage

17.8%

Medicaid

19.5%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

1.1%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sussex County, DE declined by 9.76% from 8.64% to 7.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Sussex County, DE changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Kent County

    13.7% prevalence

  2. Sussex County

    13.5% prevalence

  3. New Castle County

    9.8% prevalence

Kent County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Delaware, at 13.7%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Delaware by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Sussex County, DE is home to a population of 216k people, from which 95.8% are citizens. As of 2017, 7.22% of Sussex County, DE residents were born outside of the country (15.6k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Sussex County, DE is composed of 161k White Alone residents (74.9%), 26.1k Black or African American Alone residents (12.1%), 19.9k Hispanic or Latino residents (9.21%), 4.43k Two or More Races residents (2.06%), 2.55k Asian Alone residents (1.18%), 758 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.352%), 432 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.2%), and 30 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0139%).

Age

Age by Nativity

49

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

40

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.5

In 2017, the median age of all people in Sussex County, DE was 48.3. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 49, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Sussex County, DE are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Sussex County, DE residents was 48.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

7.22%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

15.6k people

6.67%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

14.1k people

As of 2017, 7.22% of Sussex County, DE residents (15.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sussex County, DE was 6.67%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Sussex County, DE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Delaware.

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    16,081 ± 3,087 people

  2. India

    11,282 ± 2,592 people

  3. China

    5,479 ± 1,812 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Delaware was Mexico, the natal country of 16,081 Delaware residents, followed by India with 11,282 and China with 5,479.

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Citizenship

95.8%

2017 Citizenship

96.1%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 95.8% of Sussex County, DE residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Sussex County, DE was 96.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Sussex County, DE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    161k ± 202

  2. Black or African American Alone

    26.1k ± 574

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    19.9k ± 1.17k

In 2017, there were 6.17 times more White Alone residents (161k people) in Sussex County, DE than any other race or ethnicity. There were 26.1k Black or African American Alone and 19.9k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Sussex County, DE as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    8,288 ± 407

  2. Korea

    1,779 ± 217

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,709 ± 269

Sussex County, DE has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.66 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Sussex County, DE awarded 56 degrees. The student population of Sussex County, DE is skewed towards women, with 7 male students and 91 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Sussex County, DE are White (45 and 80.4%), followed by Black or African American (5 and 8.93%), Hispanic or Latino (4 and 7.14%), and Asian (2 and 3.57%).

The largest universities in Sussex County, DE by number of degrees awarded are Delaware Learning Institute of Cosmetology (39 and 69.6%) and Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center (17 and 30.4%).

The most popular majors in Sussex County, DE are General Cosmetology (26 and 46.4%), Registered Nursing (17 and 30.4%), and Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (13 and 23.2%).

The median tuition costs in Sussex County, DE are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. N/A

    N/A degrees awarded

  2. General Cosmetology

    26 degrees awarded

  3. N/A

    N/A degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Sussex County, DE was N/A with N/A degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Sussex County, DE according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Delaware Learning Institute of Cosmetology

    39 degrees awarded

  2. Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center

    17 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Sussex County, DE institution with the largest number of graduating students was Delaware Learning Institute of Cosmetology with 39 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

9

Degrees Awarded to Men

47

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 9 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Sussex County, DE, which is 0.191 times less than the 47 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Sussex County, DE by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    45 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    5 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    4 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Sussex County, DE were to White students. These 45 degrees mean that there were 9 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Sussex County, DE was $242,900 in 2017, which is 1.06 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $231,600 to $242,900, a 4.88% increase. The homeownership rate in Sussex County, DE is 79.2%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Sussex County, DE have an average commute time of 23.9 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Sussex County, DE is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$242,900

2017 Median

± $4,185

$231,600

2016 Median

± $3,404

In 2017, the median property value in Sussex County, DE grew to to $242,900 from the previous year's value of $231,600.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Sussex County, DE compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Sussex County, DE the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$57,901

Median Household Income

± $1,291

86.3k

Number of Households

± 1,804

In 2017, the median household income of the 86.3k households in Sussex County, DE grew to $57,901 from the previous year's value of $54,218.

The following chart displays the households in Sussex County, DE distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Sussex County, DE distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Sussex County, DE the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

79.2%

2017 Homeownership

77.7%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 79.2% of the housing units in Sussex County, DE were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.7%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Sussex County, DE compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

23.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sussex County, DE have a shorter commute time (23.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 2.65% of the workforce in Sussex County, DE have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Sussex County, DE compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    83.4%

  2. Carpooled

    7.32%

  3. Worked At Home

    5.62%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Sussex County, DE was Drove Alone (83.4%), followed by those who Carpooled (7.32%) and those who Worked At Home (5.62%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Sussex County, DE distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Sussex County, DE have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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