Delaware to California Moving Guide
Updated June 23, 2025

Planning a 2,891 mile interstate move from Delaware to California? This moving guide will help you compare living in Delaware vs California across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like higher job competition vs greater job opportunities), food & health (like Scrapple vs Sourdough Bread), real estate & housing (colonial, ranch vs modern, spanish revival), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in California), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Scrapple and Chicken Bog, but get your taste buds ready for Sourdough Bread & Tri-tip
- California housing costs are 103% more expensive than they are in Delaware
- Rent in California is 47.30% more expensive than in Delaware
- Moving from Delaware to California will cost on average between $3,000 - $10,500
- Our top recommended Delaware to California movers is OCD Moving Services LLC
Delaware to California Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Delaware to California
- Higher job competition
- Limited cultural diversity
- Smaller cities
- Fewer entertainment options
- Greater job opportunities
- Cultural melting pot
- Vibrant urban life
- Endless entertainment
- Higher living expenses
- Risk of wildfires
- Traffic congestion
- Hectic lifestyle
- Lower cost of living
- Seasonal weather
- Small-town charm
- Quiet neighborhoods
Pros of moving from Delaware to California
- Say goodbye to higher job competition and hello to greater job opportunities
- Look forward to moving away from limited cultural diversity and moving to California with its cultural melting pot
- Swap the smaller cities of Delaware for vibrant urban life in California
- Get ready for endless entertainment in California
Cons of moving from Delaware to California
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the lower cost of living in Delaware to live with higher living expenses in California
- You'll lose out on the pro of seasonal weather and have to settle for the con of the risk of wildfires
- Time to bid farewell to small-town charm and get used to traffic congestion in California
- Swap quiet neighborhoods for a hectic lifestyle
Delaware vs. California: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Scrapple | Sourdough Bread |
Most popular meat dish | Chicken Bog | Tri-tip |
Most popular street food item | Italian Ice | Fish Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Seitan BBQ | Avocado Toast |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Delaware to California, you will be trading the iconic Scrapple of Delaware for the equally delicious Sourdough Bread of California. And while the locals in Delaware rave about their flavorful Chicken Bog and sumptuous Italian Ice, California residents know they have tasty Tri-tip and Fish Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Seitan BBQ they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Avocado Toast of California. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Delaware eateries like Harry's Savoy Grill, Deer Park Tavern, and Bluecoast Seafood Grill. After the boxes are unpacked in California, don't wait too long before making your way to California's acclaimed eateries like The Cheesecake Factory, In-N-Out Burger, and The French Laundry.
When comparing lifestyles, California shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Delaware. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in California compared to what you are used to in Delaware. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in California.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Delaware and California
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Ranch | Modern, Spanish Revival |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Family-friendly, Proximity to beaches | Eco-friendly features, Proximity to tech hubs |
- The Colonial and Ranch architecture that Delaware is known for will be replaced with the Modern and Spanish Revival architecture typical of California.
- Compared to Delaware's real estate listings that commonly reference family-friendly features and proximity to beaches, California real estate listings often highlight eco-friendly features and proximity to tech hubs.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes; California is more walkable than Delaware.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; California is more bike-friendly than Delaware.
- California has more of an urban feel than Delaware.
- California housing costs are 103% more expensive than they are in Delaware, with a median home price of $783,666 compared to Delawareβs $385,745.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in California have increased by 42%, compared to a 42% increase in Delaware.
- Rent in California is 47.30% more expensive than in Delaware.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Delaware and California
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Nor'easters | Earthquakes, Wildfires |
Air Quality | Moderate | Varies significantly |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F/66Β°F | 85Β°F/60Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 44Β°F/28Β°F | 68Β°F/48Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 45" | Varies by region: 22β-45β |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 20.2" | Varies significantly |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Delaware to California. California gets 42% more sunshine days than Delaware.
- California has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Delaware.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and nor'easters in Delaware, but be on the lookout for potential earthquakes and wildfires in California.
- The average summer high temperature in California is degrees the same as Delaware.
- The average winter lows are 20 degrees warmer than they are in Delaware.
- Your umbrella might be used the same in California. California receives inches of rain compared to Delaware.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Delaware and California
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $82,174 | $91,551 |
Cost of Living Index | 102.45 | 136.4 |
State Income Tax | 6.6% | 13.3% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.56% | 0.75% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 0% | 7.25% |
Top 3 Industries | Finance, Manufacturing, Agriculture | Technology, Entertainment, Agriculture |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | High |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in California tend to earn about 11% more than in Delaware
- The COLI in California will be 33% higher than what you are used to living in Delaware
- The state income tax in California is 13.3% compared to 6.6% in Delaware
- The affluence in California is high compared to moderate in Delaware
- The poverty level is moderate in California compared to low in Delaware
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Delaware and high in California
Political and Religious Climate in Delaware vs. California
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democratic-leaning | Strongly Democratic-leaning |
Local Politics | Moderate with a balance of urban and rural perspectives | Progressive, with a focus on environmental and social policies |
Religion | Christianity predominates, diverse religious communities | Largely secular, wide variety of religions and beliefs |
- Delaware tends to lean Democratic-leaning in its political climate
- California, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Democratic-leaning
- California's religious environment can be described as largely secular with a wide variety of religions and beliefs
- Delaware's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as predominantly Christianity with diverse religious communities
Education Guide When Moving from Delaware to California
Comparison | Delaware | California |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Delaware Newark Delaware State University Dover Wilmington University New Castle | University of California Los Angeles University of California Berkeley Stanford University Stanford |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Lancashire Elementary School Wilmington Star Hill Elementary School Dover North Star Elementary School Hockessin | Point Vicente Elementary School Rancho Palos Verdes Hawes Elementary School Redwood City Mount Woodson Elementary School Ramona |
Top 3 Middle Schools | H.B. Du Pont Middle School Hockessin Alfred G. Waters Middle School Middletown Conrad Schools of Science Wilmington | Carmel Valley Middle School San Diego Miller Creek Middle School San Rafael Los Cerros Middle School Danville |
Top 3 High School Schools | Charter School of Wilmington Wilmington Conrad Schools of Science Wilmington Cab Calloway School of the Arts Wilmington | Henry M. Gunn High School Palo Alto Torrance High School Torrance California Academy of Mathematics and Science Carson |
Top 3 private high schools | Tower Hill School Wilmington Wilmington Friends School Wilmington St. Andrew's School Middletown | Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles The Harker School San Jose Phillips Academy Andover |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Tatnall School Wilmington Sanford School Hockessin Wilmington Friends School Wilmington | The Nueva School Hillsborough Crossroads School Santa Monica The Webb Schools Claremont |
Top 3 School Districts | Appoquinimink School District Caesar Rodney School District Red Clay Consolidated School District | Palo Alto Unified School District San Marino Unified School District La CaΓ±ada Unified School District |
How Much Do Delaware to California Movers Cost?
Moving 2,891 miles from Delaware to California will typically cost between $4,000 and $10,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $4,000 - $10,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-8 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: CC Relocation, Inc.
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,841 | 300 ft3 | $9.47 |
1 Bedroom | $4,240 | 450 ft3 | $9.42 |
2 Bedrooms | $7,029 | 750 ft3 | $9.37 |
3 Bedrooms | $10,254 | 1100 ft3 | $9.32 |
4 Bedrooms | $14,835 | 1600 ft3 | $9.27 |
5+ Bedrooms | $16,599 | 1800 ft3 | $9.22 |
Top Delaware to California Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Delaware to California movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

OCD Moving Services LLC
Best moving company overall for Delaware to California
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