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Sussex County, Delaware
Map
Location in the state of Delaware
Delaware's location in the USA
Statistics
Founded	1683
Seat	Georgetown
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,196 sq mi (3,098 km²) 938 sq mi (2,429 km²) 258 sq mi (668 km²), 21.58%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	156,638 1,671/sq mi (645/km²)
Website: www.sussexcountyde.gov

Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2000 the population was 156,638. The county seat is Georgetown. In 2005, the population of the county was estimated to be 176,548, an increase of 12.7%.

Sussex County is Delaware's largest county by land area, with 938 square miles (2,429 km²). The first European settlement in the state of Delaware was founded in 1631 near the present-day town of Lewes. However, Sussex County was not organized until 1683.

Contents 1 History 2 Law and Government 3 Education 3.1 Public Schools 3.2 Private Schools 3.3 Secondary Schools 4 Geography 4.1 Adjacent Counties 4.2 Major highways 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Cities and towns 8 Non-Incorporated Communities 9 Festivals, Fairs, and Events 10 References 11 External links

See History of Sussex County

Sussex county's government is composed of an elected legislature and various elective executive heads of departments.

The county council is has five members; all are elected in and for specific geographic subdivisions for four years. This forms the legislative authority of the county, which then chooses a "County Administrator" or executive.

The current county council members are George Cole, Dales Dukes, Finley Jones, Vance Phillips, and Lynn Rogers.

The additional offices of Clerk of the Peace, Register of Deeds, Register of Chancery and Sheriff are elected at large.^[1]. These positions are held by George Parish, John Brady, David Wilson Sr., and Eric Swanson, respectively.

There are several public school districts serving Sussex County. The schools include Cape Henlopen School District, Delmar School District, Georgetown Charter School, Indian River School District, Laurel School District, Milford School District, Seaford School District, Southern Delaware School of the Arts, Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences, Sussex Technical High School, Delmarva Christian High School, Western Sussex Academy, and Woodbridge School District. Those state funded public high schools which participate in sporting events are members of the Henlopen Conference.

There are several private schools in Sussex County. The schools include Christian Tabernacle Academy located in Lincoln City, Greenwood Mennonite School in Greenwood, Bible Center Christian Academy in Laurel, Epworth Christian School in Laurel, Jesus Is Lord Christian Academy in Georgetown, Lighthouse Christian School in Dagsboro, The Jefferson School in Georgetown, Children Craft CO in Seaford, Eagle's Nest Christian School in Milton, Lighted Pathway Christian Academy in Seaford, Milford Christian School in Milford, and Seaford Christian Academy in Seaford.^[2]

There are also several secondary schools in Sussex County. Delaware Technical & Community College has the largest presence in the county, but students can also attend Delaware State University, Goldey-Beacom College, University of Delaware, Wesley College all in Georgetown, the Philadelphia Bible College in Ellendale, and the Beebe Hospital School of Nursing in Lewes.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,097 km² (1,196 sq mi). 2,428 km² (938 sq mi) of it is land and 668 km² (258 sq mi) of it (21.58%) is water.

The eastern portion of the county is home to most of Delaware's beaches and many seaside resorts. The western side of the county is center of Delaware's agriculture industry with more acres of arable land under cultivation than anywhere else in the state.^{[citation needed]}

• Kent County, Delaware - north
• Cape May County, New Jersey - northeast¹
• Worcester County, Maryland - south
• Dorchester County, Maryland - southwest
• Wicomico County, Maryland - southwest
• Caroline County, Maryland - northwest

¹ across Delaware Bay; no land border

There are three major north-south highways in Sussex County:

• US Route 13 in the west,
• US Route 113 in the middle, and
• State Route 1 along the coast

In addition, Sussex has a number of east-west thoroughfares, the primary being U.S. Route 9. State Routes 16, 18, 20, 24, 30, 54 and 404 also service the area, providing alternatives east-west routes to most municipalities in the county.

The average home and property price in Sussex County increased 250% in the ten years between 1995 and 2005. Local increases within Sussex County for this period include a 381% increase for Millsboro and a 609% increase for Millville. Sussex County is served by the Delaware Coast Line Railway, the Maryland & Delaware Railway and the Norfolk Southern Railroad.^[3]

As of the census² of 2000, there were 156,638 people, 62,577 households, and 43,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 64/km² (167/sq mi). There were 93,070 housing units at an average density of 38/km² (99/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 80.35% White, 14.89% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.02% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 4.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.9% were of English, 14.3% United States or American, 12.9% Irish, 12.5% German and 5.6% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 93.3% spoke English and 4.3% Spanish as their first language.

There were 62,577 households out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.50% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,208, and the median income for a family was $45,203. Males had a median income of $30,811 versus $23,625 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,328. About 7.70% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.00% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

• Bethany Beach
• Bethel
• Blades
• Bridgeville
• Dagsboro
• Delmar (part of Delmar is in Maryland)
• Dewey Beach
• Ellendale
• Fenwick Island
• Frankford
• Georgetown
• Greenwood
• Henlopen Acres
• Laurel
• Lewes
• Milford (part of Milford is in Kent County)
• Millsboro
• Millville
• Milton
• Ocean View
• Rehoboth Beach
• Seaford
• Selbyville
• Slaughter Beach
• South Bethany

• Gumboro
• Lincoln
• Long Neck

Sussex County, Delaware is home to several festivals, fairs, and events. Some of the more notable festivals are the Riverfest held in Seaford, the World Championship Punkin Chunkin held at various locations throughout the county since 1986, the Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival, the Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral to mark the end of summer, the Apple Scrapple Festival held in Bridgeville, the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, the Sea Witch Halloween Festival and Parade in Rehoboth Beach, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival the Nanticoke Indian Pow Wow in Oak Orchard, and the Return Day Parade held after every election in Georgetown.

In MacKinlay Kantor's If the South had Won the Civil War, Sussex secedes from Delaware to join the state of Maryland, which had also seceded after Lee's victory at Gettysburg.

• Official website
• Official Auction of Sussex County

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Sussex County, Delaware
County seat: Georgetown
Cities	Lewes | Milford | Rehoboth Beach | Seaford
Towns	Bethany Beach | Bethel | Blades | Bridgeville | Dagsboro | Delmar | Dewey Beach | Ellendale | Fenwick Island | Frankford | Georgetown | Greenwood | Henlopen Acres | Laurel | Millsboro | Millville | Milton | Ocean View | Selbyville | Slaughter Beach | South Bethany
Communities and CDPs	Angola | Argo's Corner | Atlanta | Bayard | Belltown | Broad Creek | Broadkill Beach | Cannon | Cedar Creek | Clarksville | Concord | Cool Spring | Coverdale | Fairmount | Fowler Beach | Gumboro | Harbeson | Hardscrabble | Hollymount | Hollyville | Jimtown | Johnson | Lincoln City | Long Neck | Marshtown | Middleford | Middlesex Beach | Midway | Nassau | Oakley | Oak Orchard | Old Furnace | Pepperbox | Pinetown | Redden | Reliance | Roxana | St. Johnstown | Whitesville | Williamsville
Hundreds	Baltimore | Broad Creek | Broadkill | Cedar Creek | Dagsboro | Georgetown | Gumboro | Indian River | Lewes & Rehoboth | Little Creek | Nanticoke | Northwest Fork | Seaford

	v • d • e State of Delaware Dover (capital)
Categories	Architecture | Associations | Communications | Culture | Economy | Education | Geography | Government | History | Images | Landmarks | Law | Military | Natural history | People | Politics | Sports | Symbols | Transportation
Hundreds	Appoquinimink | Baltimore | Blackbird | Brandywine | Broad Creek | Broadkill | Cedar Creek | Christiana | Dagsboro | Duck Creek | East Dover | Georgetown | Gumboro | Indian River | Kenton | Lewes & Rehoboth | Little Creek | Milford | Mill Creek | Mispillion | Nanticoke | New Castle | North Murderkill | Northwest Fork | Pencader | Red Lion | Seaford | South Murderkill | St. George's | West Dover | White Clay | Wilmington
Cities	Delaware City | Dover | Harrington | Lewes | Milford | Newark | New Castle | Rehoboth Beach | Seaford | Wilmington
Counties	Kent | New Castle | Sussex

Coordinates: 38°41′N 75°20′W / 38.68, -75.34