Virginia to Delaware Moving Guide
Updated June 15, 2025

Planning a 275 mile interstate move from Virginia to Delaware? This moving guide will help you compare living in Virginia vs Delaware across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like heavy traffic vs less congestion), food & health (like Ham vs Scrapple), real estate & housing (colonial, cape cod vs colonial, ranch), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Virginia), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Ham and Barbecue, but get your taste buds ready for Scrapple & Fried Chicken
- Delaware housing costs are 0% less expensive than they are in Virginia
- Rent in Delaware is 1.13% more expensive than in Virginia
- Moving from Virginia to Delaware will cost on average between $1,000 - $4,000
- Our top recommended Virginia to Delaware movers is ARS Movers
Virginia to Delaware Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Virginia to Delaware
- Heavy traffic
- High cost of living
- Dense population
- High property taxes
- Less congestion
- Affordable housing
- Quieter neighborhoods
- Lower taxes
- Less historical sites
- Limited cultural scene
- Fewer urban options
- Fewer top hospitals
- Rich history
- Diverse culture
- Vibrant city life
- Experienced healthcare
Pros of moving from Virginia to Delaware
- Say goodbye to heavy traffic and hello to less congestion
- Look forward to moving away from the high cost of living and moving to Delaware with affordable housing
- Swap the dense population of Virginia for quieter neighborhoods in Delaware
- Get ready for lower taxes in Delaware
Cons of moving from Virginia to Delaware
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the rich history in Virginia to live with fewer historical sites in Delaware
- You'll lose out on the pro of diverse culture and have to settle with the con of a limited cultural scene
- Time to bid farewell to vibrant city life and get used to fewer urban options in Delaware
- Swap experienced healthcare for fewer top hospitals
Virginia vs. Delaware: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Ham | Scrapple |
Most popular meat dish | Barbecue | Fried Chicken |
Most popular street food item | Hot Dogs | Italian Ice |
Most popular vegan food | Kale Salad | Vegan Crab Cakes |
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 Virginia to Delaware, you will be trading the iconic ham of Virginia for the equally delicious scrapple of Delaware. And while the locals in Virginia rave about their flavorful barbecue and sumptuous hot dogs, Delaware residents know they have tasty fried chicken and Italian ice to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the kale salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the vegan crab cakes of Delaware. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Virginia eateries like The Inn at Little Washington, LβAuberge Chez FranΓ§ois, and Mama Jβs Kitchen. After the boxes are unpacked in Delaware, don't wait too long before making your way to Delaware's acclaimed eateries like Harryβs Savoy Grill, Big Fish Grill, and Black Walnut Winery & Bistro.
When comparing lifestyles, Delaware shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Virginia. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Delaware, compared to what you are used to in Virginia. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Delaware.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Virginia and Delaware
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Cape Cod | Colonial, Ranch |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious yards, proximity to nature | Beach access, community amenities |
- The Colonial and Cape Cod architecture that Virginia is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and Ranch architecture typical of Delaware.
- Compared to Virginia's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious yards and proximity to nature, Delaware real estate listings often highlight features like beach access and community amenities.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes; Delaware is more walkable than Virginia.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Delaware is more bike-friendly than Virginia.
- Delaware has less of an urban feel than Virginia.
- Delaware housing costs are 0% less expensive than they are in Virginia, with a median home price of $385,745 compared to Virginiaβs $385,780.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Delaware have increased by 42% compared to a 42% increase in Virginia.
- Rent in Delaware is 1.13% more expensive than in Virginia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Virginia and Delaware
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
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, Storms | Hurricanes, Nor'easters |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good to Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 66Β°F | 87Β°F / 68Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 47Β°F / 27Β°F | 45Β°F / 28Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 44" | 45" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 10-20" | 10-15" |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Virginia to Delaware. Delaware gets 2% fewer sunshine days than Virginia.
- Delaware has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Virginia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and storms in Virginia, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and nor'easters in Delaware.
- The average summer high temperature in Delaware is 2 degrees warmer than in Virginia.
- The average winter lows are 1 degree warmer than they are in Virginia.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Delaware. Delaware receives 1 more inch of rain compared to Virginia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Virginia and Delaware
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $85,873 | $82,174 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.6 | 102.45 |
State Income Tax | 2% - 5.75% | 2.2% - 6.6% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.80% | 0.56% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 5.3% | 0% |
Top 3 Industries | Defense, Technology, Agriculture | Chemical Manufacturing, Finance, Agriculture |
Affluence | Moderate | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderately Low |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Delaware tend to earn about 4% less than in Virginia
- The COLI in Delaware is 6% higher than what you are used to living in Virginia
- The state income tax in DE is 2.2% to 6.6% compared to 2% to 5.75% in VA
- The affluence in Delaware is moderate compared to moderate in Virginia
- The poverty level is moderately low in Delaware compared to low in Virginia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Virginia and moderate in Delaware
Political and Religious Climate in Virginia vs. Delaware
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Swing state, recently leaning Democratic | Generally leans Democratic |
Local Politics | Varies widely between urban and rural areas | More uniformly Democratic, especially in urban areas |
Religion | Christianity predominant, diverse religious communities | Christianity predominant, smaller religious communities |
- Virginia tends to lean swing state, recently leaning Democratic in its political climate
- Delaware, on the other hand, is often described as generally leaning Democratic
- Delaware's religious environment can be described as predominantly Christianity with smaller religious communities
- Virginia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as predominately Christianity with diverse religious communities
Education Guide When Moving from Virginia to Delaware
Comparison | Virginia | Delaware |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Virginia Virginia Tech William & Mary | University of Delaware Delaware State University Wilmington University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Arlington Science Focus School Arlington; Stenwood Elementary School Vienna; Nottingham Elementary School Arlington | North Star Elementary School Hockessin; Charter School of Wilmington Wilmington; Brandywine Springs School Wilmington |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Longfellow Middle School Falls Church; Cooper Middle School McLean; Henley Middle School Crozet | Alfred G. Waters Middle School Middletown; H.B. DuPont Middle School Hockessin; Cab Calloway School of the Arts Wilmington |
Top 3 High School Schools | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Alexandria; McLean High School McLean; Langley High School McLean | Charter School of Wilmington Wilmington; Newark Charter High School Newark; Cab Calloway School of the Arts Wilmington |
Top 3 private high schools | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Alexandria; The Potomac School McLean; Episcopal High School Alexandria | Archmere Academy Claymont; Salesianum School Wilmington; Wilmington Friends School Wilmington |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Potomac School McLean; Flint Hill School Oakton; Collegiate School Richmond | Tower Hill School Wilmington; Wilmington Friends School Wilmington; Sanford School Hockessin |
Top 3 School Districts | Fairfax County Public Schools; Loudoun County Public Schools; Arlington Public Schools | Brandywine School District; Caesar Rodney School District; Red Clay Consolidated School District |
How Much Do Virginia to Delaware Movers Cost?
Moving 275 miles from Virginia to Delaware will typically cost between $1,500 and $4,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $1,500 - $4,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-2 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Estes SureMove
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,155 | 300 ft3 | $3.85 |
1 Bedroom | $1,713 | 450 ft3 | $3.81 |
2 Bedrooms | $2,823 | 750 ft3 | $3.76 |
3 Bedrooms | $4,093 | 1100 ft3 | $3.72 |
4 Bedrooms | $5,886 | 1600 ft3 | $3.68 |
5+ Bedrooms | $6,545 | 1800 ft3 | $3.64 |
Top Virginia to Delaware Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Virginia to Delaware movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.