$295,000 buys the median home in Wilmington right now. With 20% down, that's a $59,000 down payment and a $236,000 loan, set against a $62,000 median household income.
Property taxes in Wilmington run 0.57% of assessed value, below the 1.1% national average. On the median home, that's $1,682 a year, or $140 added to the monthly payment.
Between the $1,793/month mortgage payment and Delaware's state income tax, your real housing cost calculation needs your after-tax number, not your gross salary.
Beyond housing, Wilmington's cost of living index sits at 108 (national average = 100), running above the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Wilmington's median home price runs 11% higher than nearby Dover: $265,000 there versus $295,000 here.