Seaford, Delaware | |
---|---|
Etymology: Seaford, East Sussex in England | |
Coordinates: 38°38′28″N75°36′40″W / 38.64111°N 75.61111°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Delaware |
County | Sussex |
Incorporated | April 6, 1865 |
Named for | Seaford, East Sussex |
Government | |
• Type | Mayor-council |
• Mayor | Matt McCoy |
• Vice Mayor | Dan H. Henderson |
Area | |
• Total | 5.16 sq mi (13.37 km2) |
• Land | 5.09 sq mi (13.19 km2) |
• Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2) |
Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,957 |
• Density | 1,562.65/sq mi (603.31/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
ZIP Code | 19973 |
Area code | 302 |
FIPS code | 10-64320 |
GNIS feature ID | 214626 [2] |
Website | www.seafordde.com |
Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,928, an increase of 3.4% from the 2000 census. [3] It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.
It is the largest city fully within Sussex County.
Seaford is named after Seaford, East Sussex in England. [4]
All land in current western and southern Sussex County was first settled as part of Maryland. Seaford, along with Bridgeville, Greenwood, Middleford, and others, were all part of Dorchester County in the Province of Maryland. Blades, Laurel, and Concord areas, on the other hand, were part of Somerset County. It is reported that an error in a map coordinate resulted in the east-west line of Delaware being from current Delmar to Fenwick. The original agreement had the eastwest line at Cape Henlopen, not at the false cape. If the line had survived, Seaford would now be in Maryland. After many years in the courts of London, the boundary lines are as the surveyors Mason and Dixon defined in 1763.
Seaford is one of seven Main Street communities that participated in the Delaware Main Street Program to revitalize commercial districts. From 1999 to 2000, Seaford's downtown was renovated to preserve historic details through $1.5 million of landscaping, street paving, sidewalks, lamp posts, street lights, and utility upgrades. [5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), of which 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (1.14%) is water.
Situated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Seaford's weather is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Seaford has a mild subtropical climate consisting of hot, humid summers and cool winters.
The highest official temperature ever recorded in Seaford was 104 °F (40.0 °C) on July 22, 2011, [6] while the all-time low was -13 °F (-25.0 °C) on January 28, 1987. [7]
According to the Köppen climate classification, Seaford has a humid subtropical climate (abbreviated Cfa).
Climate data for Seaford, 1991–2020 simulated normals (26 ft elevation) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.1 (7.3) | 47.7 (8.7) | 54.9 (12.7) | 66.0 (18.9) | 74.5 (23.6) | 83.1 (28.4) | 87.8 (31.0) | 85.6 (29.8) | 79.9 (26.6) | 69.4 (20.8) | 58.5 (14.7) | 49.5 (9.7) | 66.8 (19.3) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.1 (2.3) | 37.9 (3.3) | 44.6 (7.0) | 55.0 (12.8) | 64.2 (17.9) | 73.2 (22.9) | 78.1 (25.6) | 75.7 (24.3) | 69.8 (21.0) | 58.6 (14.8) | 48.2 (9.0) | 40.3 (4.6) | 56.8 (13.8) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 34.5 (1.4) | 44.2 (6.8) | 53.8 (12.1) | 63.1 (17.3) | 68.2 (20.1) | 65.8 (18.8) | 59.7 (15.4) | 48.0 (8.9) | 37.8 (3.2) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 46.8 (8.2) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.47 (88.23) | 2.94 (74.66) | 4.18 (106.27) | 3.48 (88.41) | 3.85 (97.88) | 4.14 (105.07) | 4.32 (109.85) | 4.72 (119.81) | 4.49 (114.17) | 4.21 (106.98) | 3.30 (83.78) | 3.89 (98.68) | 46.99 (1,193.79) |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 32.5 (0.3) | 42.3 (5.7) | 53.1 (11.7) | 62.6 (17.0) | 67.5 (19.7) | 66.6 (19.2) | 60.8 (16.0) | 49.8 (9.9) | 38.5 (3.6) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 46.5 (8.1) |
Source: PRISM Climate Group [8] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 624 | — | |
1870 | 1,304 | 109.0% | |
1880 | 1,542 | 18.3% | |
1890 | 1,462 | −5.2% | |
1900 | 1,724 | 17.9% | |
1910 | 2,108 | 22.3% | |
1920 | 2,141 | 1.6% | |
1930 | 2,468 | 15.3% | |
1940 | 2,804 | 13.6% | |
1950 | 3,087 | 10.1% | |
1960 | 4,430 | 43.5% | |
1970 | 5,537 | 25.0% | |
1980 | 5,256 | −5.1% | |
1990 | 5,689 | 8.2% | |
2000 | 6,699 | 17.8% | |
2010 | 6,928 | 3.4% | |
2020 | 7,957 | 14.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [9] |
As of the census [10] of 2000, there were 6,699 people, 2,629 households, and 1,664 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,925.9 inhabitants per square mile (743.6/km2). There were 2,809 housing units at an average density of 807.5 per square mile (311.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 64.04% White, 30.02% African American, 0.37% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.25% of the population.
There were 2,629 households, of which 31.5% had children under 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 69.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,402, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $30,467 versus $23,490 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,022. About 22.0% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.4% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those aged 65 or over.
According to National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), violent crime in the United States is most likely to be committed in urban areas. Violent crime is made up of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder. To determine the most dangerous cities in Delaware in 2023, a review of the NIBRS data was conducted of violent crimes reported in 2022, 2021, and 2020 per 1,000 residents, with Uniform Crime Reporting Program data. Wilmington, the most populous city in Delaware, registered 2,412 violent cases Seaford was ranked second in the state behind Dewey Beach. [11]
A combination of factors has led to Seaford being listed as the second-worst place to live in the state. Seaford has the highest rate of violent crimes and the fourth-highest property crime rate in Delaware. There were 498 crime cases in 2021, violent crime occurred at the rate of about 59.34 per 1000 residents in 2021. Seaford recorded 14 Kidnapping, 16 sex offenses, and 1 rape case, and in the crime against property, there were 1 arson, 20 motor vehicle theft, 13 robberies, and 262 drug/narcotic offenses. [12] [13] [14]
Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include: [15]
Seaford District Library was founded in the early 1900s. It holds 28,000 items, and has a community center. [16]
Seaford has a mayor-council system of government with a mayor and a city council, the mayor has no official authority outside the council, serving a chiefly ceremonial role as council chairperson. [17]
Mayor | David Genshaw [17] |
---|---|
Elected | 2014, 5th Term |
Liaison Appointment | Economic Development [18] |
Vice Mayor | Dan H. Henderson [17] |
Elected | 2014, 3rd Term |
Liaison Appointment | Police Department & Fire Department [18] |
Councilman | Matthew MacCoy [17] |
Elected | 2019, 2nd Term |
Liaison Appointment | Electric [18] |
Councilman | Michael Bradley [17] |
Elected | 2023, 1st Term |
Liaison Appointment | Administration & Information Technology [18] |
Councilman | Orlando Holland [17] |
Elected | 2015, 3rd Term |
Liaison Appointment [18] | Code & Parks and Recreation [18] |
Councilman | James King [17] |
Elected | 2018, 2nd Term |
Liaison Appointment | Public Works & Wastewater [18] |
as of the 2023 election [18] |
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Seaford’s controversial Mayor David Genshaw was accused of possible quid pro quo after the Attorney General’s Office announced it was suing the city over a controversial abortion-rights ordinance that Councilman King claims the mayor spearheaded because of his own personal agenda. As of December 14, 2021, the city had over $10,000 tied up in this controversial ordinance. [19] “It’s very sad when your AG’s office has to step in, again, and sue one of their own cities,” King stated. “We’re using taxpayer dollars and resources to fund this, and at the end of that what does that look like? Dave [Mayor Genshaw] has a history of this, with right-to-work we’ve seen it, spending money and passing an ordinance and then the state stepping in and saying ‘those behaviors are illegal’ we can’t do that. We’ve seen this before, it’s dangerous behavior.” [20] Mayor Genshaw has continuously defended the ordinance and flaunted the possibility of a private donor funding legal expenses for the city to fight the lawsuit. City Councilman King continued to question the mayor and the legal ramifications. “Dave [Mayor Genshaw] is saying ‘hey, you know what, we’ve got this magical donor that’s willing to pick up all the expense, and that whole conversation didn’t feel right, so I’m like ‘who is this person, is it a quid-pro-quo? What are they trying to get out of this?’ And he’s like, look I’ll tell you this information, but you got to be sworn to silence, secrecy, and I’m like, man, that’s not what we’re elected for, I’ve got constituents, people in the community that are asking who this person is, and if you’re going to tell me and you’re asking me to be silent with that information, then don’t tell me.” “You’ve got the AG’s office suing, asking for our fees reimbursed, so what are you going to deplete resources, reserves, for legal fees that aren’t going to amount to anything.” Attorney General Kathy Jennings moved forward with the lawsuit after multiple warnings that the ‘anti-choice ordinance’ violates state law. This ordinance is part of a national wave of anti-abortion policies that have been weaponized in the politics of the United States of America. [21]
Seaford is home to the Seaford School District. [22] The Seaford School District, based in the town of Seaford, Delaware, encompasses 82 square miles in the southwest corner of Sussex County. It serves the communities of Seaford and Blades and consists of four elementary, one middle, and one high school, serving approximately 3,500 students in grades pre-K through 12. [23] [24]
WGBG 92.7 FM broadcasts from just outside the city limits.[ citation needed ]
WDPB-TV 64 is the only television station originating from Seaford. It is a subsidiary of WHYY-TV in Philadelphia and an affiliate of PBS.
The Seaford Star is a weekly newspaper. Morning Star Publications has been in business for approximately 27 years. [25]
Website: starpublications.online
U.S. Route 13 is the main north-south thoroughfare within city limits, with Delaware Route 20 being the main east-west highway. U.S. Route 13 connects Seaford with Bridgeville to the north and Laurel to the south as part of the Sussex Highway. State Route 20 connects Seaford with Millsboro to the east and tiny Reliance, Maryland to the west.
The closest airport with commercial air service to Seaford is the Wicomico Regional Airport in Salisbury, Maryland. The closest public airport is Laurel Airport in Laurel, Delaware. There is also an airport in Georgetown called the Delaware Coastal Airport. This airport has a jet service section, as part of the nearby industrial park.
DART First State operates the Route 212 bus that connects Seaford to Georgetown and Delmar and the Route 903F bus that runs on a loop through Seaford. [26]
Freight rail service in Seaford is provided by two carriers: the Delmarva Central Railroad and the Maryland and Delaware Railroad. The Delmarva Central Railroad runs north-south through the city, parallel to US 13. It interchanges with the Maryland and Delaware Railroad in Seaford, which heads west to Federalsburg and Cambridge in Maryland.
The City of Seaford Electric Department provides electricity to approximately 6,700 customers in the city. The electric department owns three substations and more than 37 miles (60 km) of transmission and distribution lines. The city purchases its electricity and is a member of the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation. [27] The Public Works department provides water and sewer service to the city. [28] Natural gas service in Seaford is provided by Chesapeake Utilities. [29]
TidalHealth Hospital and TidalHealth Cancer Care Center, both operated by TidalHealth Health Services, are located in Seaford. [30]
Delaware is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern region of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey to its northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state's name derives from the adjacent Delaware Bay, which in turn was named after Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Colony of Virginia's first colonial-era governor.
The Delmarva Peninsula, or simply Delmarva, is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by the vast majority of the state of Delaware and parts of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Sussex County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware, on the Delmarva Peninsula. As of the 2020 census, the population was 237,378, making it the state's second most populated county only behind New Castle and ahead of Kent. The county seat is Georgetown.
Wyoming is a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. It is part of the Dover metropolitan area. The population was 1,680 in 2020.
Blades is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 1,241, a 29.8% increase over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Bridgeville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population is 2,568. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Delmar is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, on the Maryland border along the Transpeninsular Line. Its motto is "The Little Town Too Big for One State." The population was 1,597 at the 2010 census, an increase of 13.5% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area and a suburb of Salisbury, MD. When added with Delmar, Maryland, the total population of the town was 4,600 at the 2010 Census.
Dewey Beach is an incorporated coastal town in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 341, an increase of 13.3% over the previous decade. It is part of the rapidly growing Cape Region and lies within the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2011, the NRDC awarded Dewey Beach with a 5-Star rating in water quality. This award was given only to 12 other locations, one being neighboring Rehoboth Beach. Out of the 30 states with coastline, the Delaware Beaches ranked number 1 in water quality in 2011.
Ellendale is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 487 at the 2020 census, an increase of 27.8% since the 2010 census, and a 48.9% increase since the year 2000. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. Ellendale is the "Gateway to Delaware's Resort Beaches" because it is the town located on U.S. Route 113, the resort area's westernmost border, and Delaware Route 16, the resort area's northernmost border with the eastern border being the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean and the southern border being the state line with Maryland.
Fenwick Island is a coastal resort town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2020 census figures, the population of the town is 355, a 2.6% decrease over the last decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland–Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is located on Fenwick Island, a barrier spit.
Georgetown is a town and the county seat of Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade.
Greenwood is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 973 at the 2010 census, an increase of 16.2% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Laurel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 3,708 at the time of the 2010 census. Laurel is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. It once hosted the Laurel Blue Hens of the Eastern Shore Baseball League.
Millsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. Millsboro is part of the Salisbury metropolitan area.
Rehoboth Beach is a city on the Atlantic Ocean along the Delaware Beaches in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of 2020, its population was 1,108. Along with the neighboring coastal town of Lewes, Rehoboth Beach is one of the principal cities of Delaware's rapidly growing Cape Region. Rehoboth Beach lies within the Salisbury metropolitan area.
Salisbury is a city in and the county seat of Wicomico County, Maryland, United States. Salisbury is the largest city in the state's Eastern Shore region, with a population of 33,050 at the 2020 census. Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is a commercial hub of the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Nanticoke River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It rises in southern Kent County, Delaware, flows through Sussex County, Delaware, and forms the boundary between Dorchester County, Maryland and Wicomico County, Maryland. The tidal river course proceeds southwest into the Tangier Sound, Chesapeake Bay. The river is 64.3 miles (103.5 km) long. A 26-mile ecotourism water trail running along the River was set aside in July 2011 by Delaware state and federal officials, contiguous with a 37-mile water-trail extending through Maryland to the Chesapeake Bay.
Delaware Route 20 (DE 20) is an east–west state highway in Sussex County, Delaware. Its western terminus is the Maryland state line in Reliance, where the road continues as Maryland Route 392 (MD 392). Its eastern terminus is DE 54 west of Fenwick Island. The route runs through rural areas of Sussex County and passes through the towns of Seaford, Millsboro, and Dagsboro. DE 20 intersects U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Seaford, US 9 in Hardscrabble, US 113 and DE 24 in Millsboro, DE 26 in Dagsboro, and DE 17 in Roxana. DE 20 was originally created by 1936 to run from the Maryland border east to US 113 in Millsboro. By 1970, it was realigned to bypass Seaford. The route was extended east to DE 1 in Fenwick Island by 1994; however, the eastern terminus was cut back to DE 54 in 2005 to avoid the concurrency with that route.
Delaware Route 24 (DE 24) is a state highway located in Sussex County, Delaware. The route runs from Maryland Route 348 (MD 348) at the Maryland border east of Sharptown, Maryland, east to an intersection with DE 1 in Midway, between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. Along the way, DE 24 passes through Laurel, Millsboro, and Long Neck. DE 24 intersects U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Laurel, US 113/DE 20 and DE 30 in Millsboro, and DE 5 and DE 23 in Long Neck. DE 24 features an alternate route, DE 24 Alternate, that runs to the north of the route from US 113 in Stockley to DE 24 near Midway. DE 24 was built as a state highway throughout the 1920s, with completion of the entire route by 1931. DE 24 was assigned onto its current alignment by 1936. DE 24 Alt. was designated by 2006.