Bear is a community in New Castle County, Delaware, home to about 22,370 people across 5.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 19701, and parts of 19702 and 19720 are in Bear too.
Homes sold for a median of $206 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Bear; also Glasgow
Mostly Glasgow; part is in Bear
Part is in Bear, part in Wilmington Manor and New Castle
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bear. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bear’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)29 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Wilmington Airport (ILG)6 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Philadelphia, PA40 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bear; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bear had 23,060 residents in the 2020 census, up 31% since 2000.
It’s the 5th largest of 79 towns in Delaware by population.
New Castle County grew from 109,697 residents in 1900 to 570,719 in 2020.
New Castle County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 25°F. About 47 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Newark Ag Farm, DE weather station (5 miles away).
306,745 jobs at 17,855 businesses in New Castle County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
254 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bear.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 19 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 10 |
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 67 |
| Mental health providers | 76 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 58 |
| Optometrists | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 9 |
| Pharmacies | 17 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Christina School District, Colonial School District, Appoquinimink School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oberle (William) Elementary SchoolBear | K–5 | 512 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Wilbur (Kathleen H.) ElementaryBear | K–5 | 1,052 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Loss (Olive B.) Elementary SchoolBear | 1–5 | 499 | Public | 5.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caravel AcademyBear | Pre-K–12 | 1,120 | Nonsectarian | 2.2 mi |
| Fairwinds Christian SchoolBear | Pre-K–12 | 173 | Baptist | 2.6 mi |
| Aquinas AcademyBear | K–12 | 75 | Roman Catholic | 3.2 mi |
| Red Lion Christian AcademyBear | K–12 | 695 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Glasgow, Wilmington Manor, New Castle and St. Georges.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.