Delaware Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In Delaware that limit for a family of four runs from $119,650 in Sussex County, DE to $141,100 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE metro area | 88,000 | 100,550 | 113,100 | 125,700 | 135,750 | 145,850 | 155,900 | 165,950 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area | 98,750 | 112,900 | 127,000 | 141,100 | 152,400 | 163,700 | 174,950 | 186,250 |
| Sussex County, DE | 83,750 | 95,750 | 107,650 | 119,650 | 129,250 | 138,800 | 148,350 | 157,950 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Dover, DE: the four-person limit is $125,700, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,142 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,732 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 3 Delaware areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.