Sussex County, Delaware
Bethel, Delaware
Bethel is an incorporated municipality in Sussex County, Delaware. The 2020 Census counted 239 residents. Sussex County lists Bethel among its 25 municipalities, and the town's official website is linked below. SussexCounty.ai is an independent site and is not the county government.
Key facts
- Type
- Incorporated municipality
- County
- Sussex County, Delaware
- 2020 population
- 239 (source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census)
- Official website
- https://bethel.delaware.gov/
- Current officials
- See the town website
Ask SussexCounty.ai
Look up Sussex County building permits by PIN on the permits page. Official records are kept by Sussex County at sussexcountyde.gov.
Go deeper on Bethel
- Land use and zoning (8 questions)
- People and housing (14 questions)
- History and events (10 questions)
- Schools, services and getting around (15 questions)
- Weather, flooding and hazards (17 questions)
SussexCounty.ai data
As of 2026-08-09, SussexCounty.ai counts 173 tax parcels in Bethel, covering 216.8 mapped acres (median parcel 0.541 acres). Source: SussexCounty.ai, Parcels by jurisdiction, compiled from Sussex County GIS parcel records. CC BY 4.0.
Local coverage
For civic coverage of Bethel, see Bethel on The Sussex Ledger. The Sussex Ledger is a publication of The Conscient Group LLC, which also publishes SussexCounty.ai.
Terms used in Sussex County property records
Tax map parcel number, zoning district, building permit, FEMA flood zone and realty transfer tax. See the full Sussex County glossary, official sources and weather and hazard sources.
Questions about Bethel
The basics
Is Bethel a town, a city or a census-designated place?
Bethel is an incorporated municipality, not a census-designated place. The U.S. Census Bureau lists it as Bethel town, Delaware, and Sussex County lists it among its cities and towns.
What county is Bethel, Delaware in?
Bethel is in Sussex County, Delaware.
What was the population of Bethel in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census counted 239 residents in Bethel (U.S. Census Bureau).
How many tax parcels are in Bethel?
As of 2026-08-09, SussexCounty.ai counts 173 tax parcels in Bethel (Parcels by jurisdiction).
Who issues building permits in Bethel?
Sussex County issues building permits countywide, including inside municipalities, per the county building permits page. Check with the town as well for any town requirements.
Government, zoning and services
Where does Bethel Town Council meet?
The February 3, 2026 agenda lists the meeting at the Bethel Community House, 7769 Main Street, Bethel, DE, at 7:00 p.m. Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
When does Bethel Town Council meet?
Council meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.; the town calendar lists May 6, June 3 and July 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM, and a February 3, 2026 agenda. Source: bethel.delaware.gov, bethel.delaware.gov.
How does Bethel handle building permits and ordinances?
Council agendas carry standing items for building permits and an Ordinance Committee. The February 3, 2026 agenda included repealing Ordinances 12, 13 and 14 of the Town Code. The town site does not state a separate planning commission. Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
What was on the Bethel council agenda in February 2026?
The February 3, 2026 agenda included a dock update, an item on the Hopkins House, and the Ordinance Committee proposal to repeal three town ordinances. (Reported 2026-02-03.) Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
History and lore
When was Bethel incorporated?
Bethel was incorporated in 1907 as the Commissioners of the Town of Bethel, and it was re-incorporated as the Town of Bethel in 1947 and again in 1978. The community was earlier called Lewisville. Source: archives.delaware.gov.
How did Bethel get its name?
The village was called Lewisville. It was renamed Bethel in 1880 when its post office was established, because another Lewisville post office already existed in Delaware. Source: archives.delaware.gov, npgallery.nps.gov.
What is Bethel known for?
Bethel was a 19th-century shipbuilding and trading community on Broad Creek. The Chesapeake sailing ram, a flat-bottomed three-masted schooner used for coastal freight, originated at this Broad Creek port. Source: npgallery.nps.gov, archives.delaware.gov.
What historic sites are in Bethel?
The Bethel Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Source: npgallery.nps.gov, npgallery.nps.gov.
Who founded Bethel and who built its ships?
Kendal Major Lewis acquired much of James Caldwell's original grant in 1795, plus a tract on Broad Creek called Mitchell's Harbor, and established the landing that became a trading center. Jonathan Moore set up the marine railway in 1869, and John M. C. Moore, its superintendent, originated the Chesapeake ram. Source: npgallery.nps.gov.
How many ships were built in Bethel?
Between 1871 and 1918, as many as thirty rams were built in the Lewisville shipyards. Bethel has grown very little since the commercial shipyards closed in 1918. Source: npgallery.nps.gov.
Events, holidays and occasions
Is there a farmers market in Bethel?
The Bethel Farmers Market meets on the first and third Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, May 2 to September 19 in 2026. Source: agriculture.delaware.gov.
Does Bethel hold town events?
The town's 2025 calendar listed a town-wide yard sale in April. No festivals or parades were listed. Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
Which festivals are nearest to Bethel?
Laurel and Seaford are the closest: Seaford hosts Nanticoke Riverfest in July and the Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival in August. Source: visitsoutherndelaware.com.
Is Return Day a holiday in Bethel?
Return Day is a Sussex County legal holiday under Delaware Code Title 1, Section 501: the second day after the General Election, after 12:00 noon. It falls on the Thursday after Election Day in even-numbered years, and in 2026 that is November 5. The main celebration is held in Georgetown. Source: delcode.delaware.gov, visitsoutherndelaware.com, dagsboro.delaware.gov.
Weather, geography and hazards
What is the climate like in Bethel, Delaware?
Using NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals from the Georgetown Delaware Coastal Airport station, the nearest of the stations we use, the average January low is 28.6 degrees F and the average July high is 87.7 degrees F. Annual precipitation averages 43.88 inches. The station is not inside Bethel, so readings in town can differ a little, especially near the water. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.
How much snow does Bethel get per year?
The Georgetown airport normals table we use for Bethel does not publish snowfall. The nearest station we fetched with a 1991 to 2020 snowfall normal is the Salisbury, Maryland (Wicomico Regional Airport) station, at 8.0 inches a year. Treat that as a regional reference, not a measurement for Bethel. Source: ncei.noaa.gov, ncei.noaa.gov.
Is Bethel in a flood zone?
Part of Bethel may sit in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and the answer depends on the address, so we do not give a town-wide yes or no. The USGS elevation at the town's Census center point is about 23 feet. Look up a specific property in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the DNREC Delaware Flood Planning Tool. Source: msc.fema.gov, floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.gov, epqs.nationalmap.gov.
Is Bethel in a hurricane evacuation zone?
Delaware labels hurricane evacuation zones A, B, C and D, and describes them as low-lying areas susceptible to flooding and storm surge. The state page does not list communities by zone, so we cannot say which zone Bethel or a given address falls in. Use the Know Your Zone lookup tool or interactive map to check an address. Source: preparede.org, dema.delaware.gov.
What body of water is Bethel on?
Bethel is on Broad Creek. The Delaware Public Archives describes the town as a 19th-century trading and shipbuilding community along Broad Creek. Source: archives.delaware.gov.
How big is Bethel and how high above sea level is it?
The 2020 Census Gazetteer lists Bethel at 0.44 square miles of land and 0 square miles of water. Elevation at the Census center point is about 23 feet above sea level (USGS 3DEP), and ground height varies across town. Source: www2.census.gov, epqs.nationalmap.gov.
Schools, parks and getting around
What school district serves Bethel?
Bethel is served by the Laurel School District. Laurel Senior High School is one of the district's schools. Source: bethel.delaware.gov, explore.education.delaware.gov.
What ZIP code covers Bethel?
Bethel uses ZIP code 19931. Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
Is there a public library in Bethel?
The Sussex County Department of Libraries location list shows no branch in Bethel. Listed branches in nearby towns include Laurel Public Library at 101 E. 4th St. and Seaford District Library at 600 N. Market St. Ext.. Source: sussexcounty.lib.de.us.
What parks or outdoor areas are in or near Bethel?
Trap Pond State Park is in Laurel, in western Sussex County. It has a campground of more than 142 sites, canoe, kayak and pedalboat rentals, the Baldcypress Nature Center, and the northernmost naturally occurring stand of baldcypress in the U.S. Source: destateparks.com.
What hospitals serve Bethel?
Hospitals serving the area include TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford, Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus at 100 Wellness Way in Milford, and Beebe Healthcare at 424 Savannah Road in Lewes. Source: bayhealth.org, beebehealthcare.org, tidalhealth.org.