1st Advantage MortgageGeorgetown, DE DSCR loans work like they do elsewhere: the lender divides the property's rent by its full monthly payment. The local inputs are a median gross rent of $1,410, median real estate taxes of $1,096 and a renter share of 50%.
Local data for Georgetown investors
Median gross rent in Georgetown: $1,410, close to the Delaware median of $1,401. Median owner-occupied home value: $281,400, about 20% below the Delaware median of $352,000. Those are citywide medians, so an individual address can sit well on either side of them. Dividing a year of median rent by the median home value gives a gross rent-to-value ratio of 6.0%, neither especially thin nor especially rich. It mixes apartments and houses, so treat it as a compass and not as the number for any one property.
| Indicator | Delaware | Georgetown | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per household | 2.48 | 2.93 | |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 3.8% | 7.7% | +100% |
| Long commuters, 45 min plus | 15.5% | 24.6% | +59% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 35.8% | 16.0% | -55% |
| Workers on their own account | 8.6% | 9.3% | +9% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 49.6% | 71.4% | +44% |
| Units sitting vacant | 13.4% | 5.4% | -60% |
| Annual rent divided by value | 4.8% | 6.0% | +26% |
| Households that rent | 27.0% | 49.5% | +83% |
| Tax as a share of home value | 0.50% | 0.39% | -22% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $1,768 | $1,096 | -38% |
| Household income, median | $84,954 | $49,719 | -41% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $352,000 | $281,400 | -20% |
| Typical monthly rent | $1,401 | $1,410 | +1% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 1,021,191 | 7,660 |
Renters make up 49.5% of households in Georgetown (well above the Delaware median of 27%), so rental demand is real but not overwhelming. Median household income is $49,719, well below the Delaware median of $84,954, and 71% of renter households pay 30 percent or more of income on rent.
Housing stock and vacancy in Georgetown
Buildings with two or more units make up about 37% of Georgetown's housing, including 8% in two to four unit buildings and 20% in buildings of five to 19 units. Median year built is 1986, so many homes are reaching the age when major systems need replacing.
Roughly 5% of units in Georgetown sit vacant, and the share of rentals available for rent is 3.9% at the survey's snapshot.
Underwriting angles in Georgetown
With a 6.0% rent-to-value ratio, Georgetown deals tend to work when the buyer controls the price and carrying costs, and struggle when either runs above the median. A median build year of 1986 suggests moderate repair budgets with the usual replacement cycles. With about 50% of households renting, Georgetown has enough tenants to support investors without being dominated by them.
Taxes, insurance and hazards in Georgetown
Property taxes in Georgetown run a median $1,096 a year for owners, well below the Delaware median of $1,768. As a share of median value, that is about 0.39%. Set beside the median rent, the tax alone consumes about 6% of annual rent.
County-level hazard data from FEMA (National Risk Index 1.20) shows Sussex County with relatively moderate overall risk and coastal flooding (very high), winter weather (very high) and cold waves (relatively high) at the top of the list.
| Hazard in Sussex County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Hurricanes exposure | Relatively High |
| Cold waves exposure | Relatively High |
| Winter weather exposure | Very High |
| Coastal flooding exposure | Very High |
| Social vulnerability score | Relatively High |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Moderate |
| Composite risk | Relatively Moderate |
In Sussex County, as anywhere, the premium is part of PITIA, which means a quote with the roof, age and flood zone of the actual Georgetown address belongs in your file early.
Working the Georgetown rent math
At the city medians a DSCR file in Georgetown has $1,319 a month after taxes to cover principal, interest, insurance and dues if the ratio is 1.00, or $1,037 if the ratio is 1.25. Those two numbers show why insurance quotes and tax estimates come first.
Rental rules for Georgetown, DE
Local rental rules in Georgetown are not summarized here because we could not verify them from a city source. Ask the city and Sussex County about registration, inspection and short-term rental requirements, and confirm what an HOA allows. If you are weighing nightly income in Georgetown, the state tax backdrop is this. Delaware's state short-term rental lodging tax applies to rentals of 31 consecutive nights or fewer under agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2025, and platforms that act as accommodations intermediaries collect and remit it.
The return clock runs 20 days from move-out in Delaware, so Georgetown landlords should keep move-in photos and repair receipts. As to caps on rent in Georgetown: The Residential Landlord-Tenant Code sets no limit on the amount of rent; it regulates the notice for increases.
Georgetown next to nearby cities
Looking across the table, values run from $224,300 (Seaford) up to $826,100 (Lewes), and Georgetown lands at $281,400.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewes | 13% | $2,027 | $826,100 | 3,505 | |
| Laurel | 60% | $1,236 | $230,300 | 4,152 | |
| Seaford | 50% | $1,151 | $224,300 | 8,485 | $1,176 |
| Millsboro | 32% | $1,481 | $332,600 | 7,424 | $1,277 |
| Georgetown | 50% | $1,096 | $281,400 | 7,660 | $1,410 |
The renter base in Georgetown
The self-employed share of the workforce is 9.3%, and those owners tend to be exactly the buyers DSCR financing was built for. On the workforce side, government workers are about 11% of employment, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 25% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
Education is part of the Georgetown rental picture, with Delaware Technical Community College among the institutions listed. Transportation links include air service through Delaware Coastal Airport and Wicomico Regional Airport. Easy highway and air access helps both tenant commutes and remote ownership.
Moving from numbers to a Georgetown loan
Ready to test a Georgetown deal? Use the calculator for the ratio, then start your application or send us the scenario.
More Delaware markets
- All Delaware DSCR loans
- DSCR loans in Millsboro, DE
- DSCR loans in Seaford, DE
- DSCR loans in Laurel, DE
- DSCR loans in Lewes, DE
- Every market we cover
Sources and data notes
- U.S. Census Bureau data for Georgetown
- FEMA risk data used for Georgetown
- Background reading: Georgetown, Delaware
- Delaware security deposit statute (Del. Code tit. 25, § 5514(a)-(g), (i))
- Delaware Division of Revenue, short-term rental FAQs (Delaware)
All Georgetown statistics are ACS five-year survey estimates from 2020 to 2024. Delaware landlord-tenant summaries draw on the RedFlagLease dataset (CC BY 4.0) and the statutes linked above. Facts were checked in October 2026, and rules change.
Quick file checklist
Before you commit on a Georgetown deal, confirm the rent with the lease or a market estimate, price the insurance for the exact address, and check how the taxes may change after the sale, so the ratio you run matches the one the lender calculates.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
Which rent counts when I finance a Georgetown property?
Expect to supply a lease, or let the appraiser's rent schedule stand in for one; the Georgetown median rent of $1,410 is context and not a substitute.
How is the DSCR figure built for a Georgetown property?
The denominator is the whole housing payment. Using Georgetown's median rent of $1,410, a ratio of 1.25 allows $1,128, and a ratio of 1.00 allows all $1,410.
What tax bill should I expect on a Georgetown rental?
About $1,096 a year at the median, which is 0.39% of value and well below the Delaware median of $1,768. Reassessment after a purchase can move that number, so get an estimate for the actual price.
Is short-term rental income allowed for a Georgetown DSCR loan?
Often, with conditions: legal use under city and association rules, documented income and an insurance policy that covers guests. Georgetown owners should check all three first.
When must a Georgetown landlord return a deposit?
Return: 20 days. Statute: Del. Code tit. 25, § 5514(a)-(g), (i). Confirm current text before you rely on it.
Should I worry about hazards at a Georgetown property?
The National Risk Index gives the county an overall relatively moderate rating. Use that as a prompt to get quotes, not as a verdict on one Georgetown street.
Should a Georgetown rental be bought in an LLC?
An individual can borrow too. If you prefer an entity for the Georgetown purchase, expect to provide formation documents and sign a personal guaranty.