Middletown is a town in
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three List of counties in Delaware, counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent County, Delaware, Kent, and Sussex County, Delaware, Sussex). As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, United States. According to the 2021 Census, the population of the town is 24,164.
Geography and climate
Middletown is located at (39.4495560, –75.7163207)
with an elevation of .
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.16% is water.
Infrastructure
Transportation

The
Delaware Route 1
Delaware Route 1 (DE 1) is the longest numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The route runs from the Maryland state line in Fenwick Island, Delaware, Fenwick Island, Sussex County, Delaware, Sussex County, where the ...
toll road passes along the east edge of Middletown, and the town has a signed exit at
Odessa
ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
for
Delaware Route 299
Delaware Route 299 (DE 299) is a State highway (US), state highway in New Castle County, Delaware, New Castle County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 282 (MD 282) at the Maryland state line east of Warwick, Maryland to ...
. The
U.S. Route 301 toll road is just west and north of Middletown, serving the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Gov. William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (informally called the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and, locally, the Bay Bridge) is a major twin bridges, dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the ...
to the southwest. US 301 has exits for Middletown at DE 299 west of town and
Delaware Route 71 north of town. DE 71 passes north–south through Middletown on Broad Street and heads north to the
Summit Bridge and south to
Townsend and
U.S. Route 13. DE 299 passes east–west through Middletown on Main Street.
Delaware Route 15, a rural road, is concurrent with DE 299 at Middletown, allowing access to
Dover
Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
and
Smyrna
Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...
.
DART First State
The Delaware Transit Corporation, operating as DART First State, is the only public transportation system that operates throughout the U.S. state of Delaware. DART First State provides local and inter-county bus service throughout the state and al ...
serves Middletown along the Route 46 bus, which runs between a
park and ride
A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...
in Odessa and the
Newark Transit Hub in
Newark, passing through Middletown and serving the Amazon fulfillment center. From the park and ride lot in Odessa, riders have access to the Route 301 bus to
Wilmington and
Dover
Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
and the seasonal Route 305 "Beach Connection" bus to
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
. The Route 37 bus provides rush hour weekday and Saturday service between the Amazon fulfillment center in Middletown and Wilmington via the
Christiana Mall. The Route 302 bus provides intercounty service between a park and ride lot in North Middletown and Dover via Middletown, serving the Amazon fulfillment center.
Cecil Transit operates a Demand Response route twice a month between
Cecilton, Maryland and Middletown, providing residents of southern
Cecil County access to shopping and healthcare in Middletown.
The
Delmarva Central Railroad
The Delmarva Central Railroad is an American short-line railroad owned by Carload Express that operates of track on the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The railroad operates lines from Porter, Delaware to Ha ...
's Delmarva Subdivision line runs through the center of Middletown.
Summit Airport is just to the north of the town. The larger
Wilmington Airport is in
New Castle, with very limited commercial air service. The nearest airport with extensive commercial air service is the
Philadelphia International Airport in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
Utilities
The Town of Middletown Electric Department provides electricity to the town.
[ The electric department is a member of the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation. The town maintains an electric substation, with electricity supplied to the substation by a 138,000 kV line from Delmarva Power's Mt. Pleasant Substation. A second 138,000 kV line to the town's substation is being constructed from Delmarva Power's Townsend Substation to increase the reliability of electricity in Middletown. The Water/Wasterwater Department provides water and sewer service to Middletown.] Trash Tech provides trash collection and recycling to Middletown. Natural gas service in Middletown is provided by Chesapeake Utilities.
Health care
Christiana Care Health System operates the Middletown Free-standing Emergency Department in Middletown, offering 24-hour emergency care with 18 treatment rooms. It opened in April 2013 at a cost of $34 million.
Education
Public education in Middletown is provided by the Appoquinimink School District, which has recently built a new elementary school, Old State Elementary, to accommodate the population growth of the area and overcrowding at the other elementary schools. Even more recently, a new middle school, Cantwells Bridge, and a new high school, Odessa High School were built. Overcrowding at Middletown High School, which was over-capacity by 400 students during the 2005–2006 school year, resulted in the construction of a second high school, Appoquinimink High School, which opened in Fall 2008, as well as a third high school, Odessa High School, which opened in 2020.
Middletown School District 60 and Odessa School District 61 merged into the Appoquinimink district effective July 1, 1969.
Louis L. Redding Comprehensive High School provided education to students of black African descent in the period before educational desegregation in the United States. Middletown School District 120 operated Redding during the period 1953 to 1966. Desegregation occurred after 1966.
The St. Georges Technical High School is located to the northeast of the town. MOT Charter School has two buildings, a high school to the northeast, and a K8 building in the southwest.
Two private schools are located on the side of the town: St. Anne's Episcopal School, which offers grades K-8, and St. Andrew's School, a coed boarding school
A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...
affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware.
Wilmington University had a location in town.
Demographics
As of the census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 6,161 people, 2,298 households, and 1,631 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,514 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.42% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.30% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.11% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.93% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 5.29% of the population.
Population in 2012: 19,483
White alone - 10,804 (58.4%)
Black alone - 4,863 (26.3%)
Hispanic - 1,319 (7.1%)
Asian alone - 940 (5.1%)
Two or more races - 491 (2.7%)
American Indian alone - 29 (0.2%)
Other race alone - 31 (0.2%)
•Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 18 (0.10%)
There were 2,298 households, out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,663, and the median income for a family was $47,270. Males had a median income of $35,688 versus $30,044 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $18,517. About 8.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Growth
Recent annexations of land have stimulated Middletown's growth; it is known as the fastest growing area in Delaware. Between 2000 and 2010, the population of the town grew 206.3%.[ Many affluent housing developments surround the town's center, especially to its north, attracting, among others, commuters from Wilmington, and even ]Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
Middletown's commerce has grown accordingly. National retail and food chain store
A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate many retail markets, dining markets, and service categories in many p ...
s have opened locations in the area, with significant growth along the U.S. 301 corridor. An Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
fulfillment center is located in Middletown. This growth is more characteristic of suburban sprawl, a stark difference from Middletown's historic growth patterns.
As a result of the rapid growth of the area, Middletown established its own police force, The Middletown Police Department, on July 2, 2007. The Police Department officially began on October 3, 2007, with a foundation of 20 officers from surrounding Delaware police departments.
Events
Middletown is home to the Olde Tyme Peach Festival, an annual tradition that attracts tens of thousands of visitors each August. Main Street in the center of town is closed to traffic and activities begin with a parade down the street. Other entertainment includes local art and historical exhibits, live music, crafts, games, and a variety of food including limited time peach flavored treats. There is also a 5k run/walk on the same day of the festival, where all proceeds are donated to benefit the local sports boosters.
Middletown hosts the M.O.T. Big Ball Marathon, an annual Labor Day event that benefits local charities. The marathon runs 24 hours straight where people of all ages come out to play baseball on previously registered teams with an oversized softball, giving it the name "Big Ball". In 2013 the marathon had its most successful year, raising a record $65,000 in funds over the 24 hours.
Middletown also hosts an annual Hummers parade. The parade's name is a spoof of the nearby Philadelphia Mummers parade
The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia. It started in 1901, and is the longest-running continuous folk parade in the United States.
Local clubs, usually called "New Years Associations" or "New Years Brigades", compete i ...
. As opposed to the Mummers, which is judged seriously, the Hummers dress up and make fun of all the popular news headlines, political, celebrity, and local happenings of the year.
Media
''The Middletown Transcript'' is the main publication for the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend area. The first edition was printed on January 4, 1868. This community newspaper is published every Thursday.
Film appearances
The 1989 coming-of-age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
film ''Dead Poets Society
''Dead Poets Society'' is a 1989 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. The film, starring Robin Williams, is set in 1959 at a fictional elite boarding school called Welton Academy, and tells ...
'' directed by Peter Weir
Peter Lindsay Weir ( ; born 21 August 1944) is a retired Australian film director. He is known for directing films crossing various genres over forty years with films such as '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975), '' Gallipoli'' (1981), '' The Y ...
and starring Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedie ...
and Ethan Hawke
Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor, author, and film director. He made his film debut in ''Explorers (film), Explorers'' (1985), before making a breakthrough performance in ''Dead Poets Society'' (1989). Hawke starr ...
was filmed almost entirely on the school grounds at St. Andrew’s School. The theatre scene was filmed at The Everett Theatre on Main Street.
The episode of ''The West Wing
''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
'' entitled " Two Cathedrals" (#44) was partly filmed at St. Andrew's School.
Notable people
* Dennis C. Blair (born 1947), former Director of National Intelligence and retired United States Navy Admiral, attended St. Andrew's School
* John H. Brown Jr. (1891–1963), decorated Vice admiral in the U.S. Navy
* Erin Burnett
Erin Isabelle Burnett (born July 2, 1976) is an American news anchor, currently the anchor of ''Erin Burnett OutFront'' on CNN. She previously worked for CNBC as co-anchor of ''Squawk on the Street'' and the host of ''Street Signs (TV series), S ...
(born 1976), journalist, attended St. Andrew's School
* Marquis Dendy (born 1992), Olympic long jumper
* Chris Godwin (born 1996), wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League
* Stephanie Hansen (born 1961), Delaware state senator
* Dwayne Henry
Dwayne Allen Henry (born February 16, 1962) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers. In , he pitched in Japan for the ...
(born 1962), former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher
* Chad Kuhl (born 1992), Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
* Morgan Hurd (born 2001), artistic gymnast and 2017 World all-around champion
* Reggie Leach
Reginald Joseph Leach (born April 23, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red ...
(born 1950), former Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
forward
* Shane O'Neill (born 1972), winner of the first season of Ink Master
* Maggie Rogers (born 1994), singer, attended St. Andrew's School
* Silas Simmons (1895–2006), longest-lived professional baseball player in history
* Loudon Wainwright III (born 1946), folk singer
References
External links
Town of Middletown
{{authority control
Towns in New Castle County, Delaware
Towns in Delaware