Moving to Smyrna, Delaware

Smyrna, Delaware is a small city located in Kent County, about an hour south of the state capital Dover. It sits on the banks of the Duck Creek, which runs through the center of town. The climate in Smyrna is generally mild and humid, with temperatures ranging from the low 20s in winter to high 80s in summer. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with snowfall occurring annually from November to March.

The history of Smyrna dates back to colonial times when it was first established as a trading post by English settlers in 1683. During this period, Smyrna was known for its thriving agricultural industry and was home to several large farms. In 1787, Smyrna was incorporated as a town and became part of Kent County when Delaware became a state in 1776. Over time, Smyrna has evolved into an industrial center with major employers such as DuPont and Dow Chemical having factories in the area.

Politics-wise, Smyrna is represented by State Senator Dave Lawson and State Representatives William Carson and Trey Paradee at the state level and Congressman Michael Castle at the federal level. The economy of Smyrna relies heavily on agriculture and manufacturing industries with tourism playing an increasingly important role due to its proximity to nearby beaches such as Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach.

Smyrna is served by two school districts: Smyrna School District and Caesar Rodney School District which have seven schools combined that provide education from kindergarten through 12th grade. There are also several private schools located within town limits including St Ann’s Catholic School, St Paul’s Lutheran School, First United Methodist Church Preschool Academy, among others.

Finally, some landmarks worth visiting while in Smyrna include Duck Creek Park which features walking trails along with picnic areas; Richard A Hake Historic Park which includes a historic house built around 1820; Mispillion Riverwalk along with multiple museums that provide insight into local history; Bicentennial Park which has a playground for kids; among others.

Population: 5,679. Estimated population in July 2024: 7,413 (+30.5% change)
Males: 2,571 (45.3%), Females: 3,108 (54.7%)

Kent County

Zip code: 19977

Demographics

Median resident age: 35.1 years
Median household income: $36,212
Median house value: $97,800

Population by Race

Races in Smyrna:

• White Non-Hispanic (71.6%)
• Black (22.4%)
• Hispanic (3.4%)
• Two or more races (2.1%)
• Other race (1.4%)
• American Indian (1.2%)

Ancestries: German (15.0%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.4%), United States (8.1%), Italian (4.7%), Polish (2.7%).

Elevation: 36 feet

Land area: 3.7 square miles

Population by Education

Smyrna, Delaware is a small town of approximately 10,000 people. It is located in Kent County and is part of the Dover Metropolitan Statistical Area. The majority of the population is composed of Caucasians, making up about 85% of the population. African Americans make up 8%, Asians 4%, and other races 3%. The median age in Smyrna is 36 years old which is slightly lower than the national median age of 37.5 years old.

The median household income in Smyrna is estimated to be around $59,000 which is slightly higher than the national average. Education in Smyrna is provided by several public schools in the area as well as private schools including Smyrna Christian Academy and St. Thomas More Catholic School. There are also several colleges and universities located nearby such as University of Delaware, Wesley College, and Delaware State University all within a 30 mile radius from Smyrna.

Smyrna offers a variety of recreational activities for its citizens to enjoy including hiking trails at Lums Pond State Park and Killens Pond State Park as well as many other outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, camping and golfing at one of its three golf courses. Additionally there are several museums to visit such as the Air Mobility Command Museum or the Johnson Victrola Museum that are both located near Dover Air Force Base just outside of town.

For population 25 years and over in Smyrna

• High school or higher: 80.3%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.9%
• Graduate or professional degree: 5.7%
• Unemployed: 3.3%
• Mean travel time to work: 25.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Smyrna town

• Never married: 27.9%
• Now married: 48.4%
• Separated: 2.2%
• Widowed: 9.8%
• Divorced: 11.7%

2.9% Foreign born (1.0% Asia, 0.8% Latin America, 0.7% Europe, 0.5% Africa).

Population change in the 1990s: +237 (+4.4%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Smyrna:

• BAYHEALTH MEDICAL CENTER (about 12 miles; DOVER, DE)
• ROCKFORD CENTER (about 19 miles; NEWARK, DE)
• MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OF SALEM COUNTY (about 21 miles; SALEM, NJ)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Smyrna:

• DOVER AFB (about 17 miles; DOVER, DE; Abbreviation: DOV)
• NEW CASTLE COUNTY (about 26 miles; WILMINGTON, DE; Abbreviation: ILG)
• PHILADELPHIA INTL (about 47 miles; PHILADELPHIA, PA; Abbreviation: PHL)

Other public-use airports nearest to Smyrna:

• SMYRNA (about 2 miles; SMYRNA, DE; Abbreviation: 38N)
• DELAWARE AIRPARK (about 6 miles; DOVER/CHESWOLD, DE; Abbreviation: 33N)
• CHANDELLE ESTATES (about 11 miles; DOVER, DE; Abbreviation: 0N4)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Smyrna:

• DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 12 miles; Dover, DE; Full-time enrollment: 2,641)
• UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE (about 19 miles; NEWARK, DE; Full-time enrollment: 17,786)
• DELAWARE TECHNICAL & COMM COLL-STANTON-WILMINGTON (about 24 miles; NEWARK, DE; Full-time enrollment: 3,817)
• WILMINGTON COLLEGE (about 26 miles; NEW CASTLE, DE; Full-time enrollment: 3,087)
• WIDENER UNIVERSITY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 42 miles; CHESTER, PA; Full-time enrollment: 3,646)
• ROWAN UNIVERSITY (about 44 miles; GLASSBORO, NJ; Full-time enrollment: 7,587)
• WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (about 45 miles; WEST CHESTER, PA; Full-time enrollment: 10,419)

Schools

Public high school in Smyrna:

• SMYRNA HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 926; Location: 500 DUCK CREEK PARKWAY; Grades: 08 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Smyrna:

• SMYRNA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 630; Location: 700 DUCK CREEK PARKWAY; Grades: 07 – 08)
• NORTH SMYRNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 570; Location: 365 NORTH MAIN STREET; Grades: 05 – 06)
• SMYRNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 491; Location: 121 SOUTH SCHOOL LANE; Grades: 01 – 04)
• SMYRNA KINDERGARTEN CENTER (Students: 234; Location: 101 SOUTH LOCUST STREET; Grades: PK – KG)
• JOHN BASSETT MOORE SCHOOL (Location: 20 WEST FRAZIER STREET; Grades: N – N )

Libraries

Library in Smyrna:

• SMYRNA PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $105,720; Location: 107 SOUTH MAIN STREET; 15,303 books; 572 audio materials; 349 video materials; 67 serial subscriptions)