Sussex County Market Snapshot: Active Listings
Across Sussex County, there are 1,564 active residential listings right now:
- 1,564 total active homes currently on the market across Sussex County
- Average list price of $788,113, reflecting Delaware's mix of coastal luxury and inland value
- Average cost per square foot of $328 across all active inventory
- 654 homes are under contract countywide, averaging $826,739 at $329/sq ft — notably higher than the active average, suggesting demand is concentrated at the upper end of current inventory
- 1,888 homes have sold in the past 6 months at an average sold price of $674,065 — about 98.8% of average list price, and averaging 61 days on market
Beach Town Spotlight: Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach & Lewes
County-wide averages only tell part of the story on the Delaware coast — pricing and pace vary widely from one beach town to the next. Here's how three of Sussex County's most-searched communities compare right now:
Bethany Beach Market Report 15 active
Bethany Beach's active inventory is the smallest and priciest of the three spotlighted towns — just 15 listings, a sample small enough that a handful of luxury properties skew the average significantly. Its sale-to-list ratio over the past 6 months was about 97.6% ($1,412,777 sold vs. $1,447,219 listed).
Rehoboth Beach Market Report 96 active
Rehoboth Beach carries the highest average price and cost per square foot of the three, backed by a much larger, more statistically reliable sample of 96 active listings and 125 recent sales. Its sale-to-list ratio (~96.3%) is the lowest of the three, suggesting the most negotiating room at this price point.
Lewes Market Report 247 active
Lewes has by far the deepest inventory and highest sales volume of the three (247 active, 350 sold in 6 months), and the most accessible cost per square foot at $362. Its active listings show the longest average days-on-market (188) — but pending and sold homes move much faster (57–60 days), suggesting older, sitting inventory pulls up the active-side average while properly priced homes still move quickly. Notably, Lewes is the only one of the three where the average sold price ($748,518) came in slightly above average list price (~100.3%) over the past 6 months — a genuinely tight seller's market signal worth double-checking against your own read of this town.
Highest-Priced Active Listings
| Town | Address Area | List Price | Beds | Baths | Living Sq Ft | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countywide | Sugar Hill Rd | $8,495,000 | 6 | 4 | 4,200 | 100 days |
| Rehoboth Beach | Silver Lake Dr | $7,900,000 | 9 | 8 | 9,490 | 9 days |
| Lewes | Bay Ave | $4,975,000 | 5 | 5 | 2,968 | 268 days |
| Bethany Beach | Hollywood St | $3,995,000 | 4 | 4 | 3,306 | 9 days |
What This Means for Buyers and Sellers
For Buyers
- Lewes offers the deepest inventory and most accessible pricing of the three towns — but with sold prices running slightly above list recently, well-priced homes there aren't leaving much room to negotiate
- Rehoboth Beach's lower sale-to-list ratio (~96.3%) suggests the most flexibility for buyers at this price point among the three
- Working with a local agent like Bob McCranie helps buyers see which Sussex County listings are priced in line with what's actually converting to contract — browse current Rehoboth Beach homes for sale to see today's inventory
For Sellers
- The countywide pattern of under-contract prices running higher than active prices suggests upper-tier, well-positioned homes are moving — pricing strategy matters as much as presentation right now
- Lewes sellers pricing realistically can expect strong demand based on recent sold data
- A free home valuation from Bob McCranie, HomeSmart Delaware can show exactly where your property fits against these town-specific numbers — Lewes sellers can also browse current Lewes homes for sale for live comps
Explore More Sussex County Beach Towns
Bob McCranie maintains a live, filterable market report for towns across Sussex County:
- Bethany Beach
- Bethel
- Blades
- Bridgeville
- Dagsboro
- Delmar
- Dewey Beach
- Ellendale
- Fenwick Island
- Frankford
- Georgetown
- Greenwood
- Harbeson
- Laurel
- Lewes
- Lincoln
- Long Neck
- Milford
- Millsboro
- Millsborough
- Millville
- Milton
- North Bethany
- Ocean View
- Rehoboth Beach
- Seaford
- Selbyville
- South Bethany
Frequently Asked: Sussex County Market Data
- How many homes are for sale in Sussex County right now? 1,564 active residential listings countywide.
- Which is more expensive: Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach, or Lewes? Rehoboth Beach currently has the highest average active-listing price at $2,063,555, followed closely by Bethany Beach at $1,961,652 (based on a small sample) and Lewes at $965,592.
- What's the average cost per square foot in Sussex County? $328 countywide; $764 in Rehoboth Beach, $647 in Bethany Beach, and $362 in Lewes.
- What's a typical sale-to-list price ratio on the Delaware coast? About 98.8% countywide over the past 6 months — Lewes homes have actually sold slightly above list price on average (~100.3%), while Rehoboth Beach (~96.3%) and Bethany Beach (~97.6%) show a bit more room to negotiate.
Get a Personalized Market Update for Your Beach Town
Bob McCranie of HomeSmart Delaware helps buyers and sellers navigate Sussex County's beach markets. Whether you're buying in Lewes, selling in Rehoboth Beach, or exploring Bethany Beach, reach out for a breakdown of exactly how these numbers apply to your situation.
Bob McCranie · HomeSmart Delaware
📞 972-754-0582 | ✉️ bobmccranie@gmail.com
Market data sourced from Bob McCranie's live Sussex County market report. Figures reflect a point-in-time snapshot of active, under-contract, and recently sold listings and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Bethany Beach figures are based on a small sample (15–36 listings) and should be read with that in mind.
