$1,638,176Average Value$692Average Price per Sq Ft12Homes For Sale
Dewey Beach is a tourist-heavy town on the Atlantic Ocean
A small strip between Rehoboth Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Dewey Beach was originally founded as a Coast Guard station in the early 20th century. After the base closed in the ‘40s, cottages and resorts were built along the town’s American beach grass-covered shoreline, eventually becoming one of Delaware’s most popular tourist destinations. Today, the town’s full-time population of about 300 residents surges during the summer, but it’s still quieter than its more commercial neighbor to the north, Rehoboth Beach. “We don’t have a boardwalk or roller coasters,” says Jack Redefer, the owner of Rehoboth Bay Realty and a fourth-generation Dewey Beach local. “Our beach is less busy and cleaner because there aren’t any bars or stores directly on it.” When summer ends, locals can enjoy long walks on the empty beach and the less-crowded restaurants along state Route 1, locally called Coastal Highway. “Life moves slowly when it’s not summer,” Redefer says. “We’re a quiet, small town during the off-season.”
Dewey Beach is located right between the Atlantic Ocean and the Rehoboth Bay.
Beach season brings in plenty of tourism to Dewey Beach.
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There’s a mix of housing options
Mid-rise condo complexes, townhouses and single-family homes make up Dewey Beach. Some cottages date back to the mid-20th century, while multi-family homes were typically built between the 1980s and 2020s. As a summer vacation spot, Dewey Beach has a high renter population. “It’s absolutely filled with people from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but after that, it feels like a ghost town,” Redefer says. For those who do buy, the median home price is around $926,000, though waterfront properties may cost up to $2 million. There aren’t state-level property taxes in Dewey Beach. However, homeowners with waterfront property pay a beach replenishment tax to help with shoreline erosion. Severe weather and rising sea levels put parts of Dewey Beach in FEMA-designated, high-risk flood zones. Homes in those areas are required to have flood insurance.
Condos are a popular option for a home in Dewey Beach, with many of them listed as weekly rentals in the summer.
Waterfront properties in Dewey Beach have sun decks that face the ocean and can be priced as high as two million dollars.
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Swimming, fishing and community events on Dewey Beach
During the summer, locals and tourists lugging chairs, blankets and umbrellas walk along sidewalks to reach Dewey Beach’s wide, sandy shoreline. Kids build sandcastles while anglers reel in bluefish and flounder. The Dewey Beach Patrol monitors swimmers from tall chairs and ATVs. Several events are held on the beach, including the National Championship of Skimboarding every August. Musicians perform on a stage, and locals roast marshmallows over bonfires during the Dewey Beach End of Summer Celebration. “Only full-timers go to that one because it’s at the end of September when most tourists are gone,” Redefer says. Full-time residents also frequent the beach during the winter. “That’s when we all walk our dogs and let them run in the water," Redefer says. "I’ve even seen people run into the water to do cold plunges.” Boating is also popular in Dewey Beach, with several yacht clubs, marinas and rental places on the bay side.
Boat lovers can enjoy various water activities in the Rehoboth Bay in Dewey Beach.
Have easy access to your boat from the Rehoboth Bay Marina in Dewey Beach.
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Coastal Highway is a major commercial corridor
Souvenir shops, lively bars and seafood restaurants fill commercial strips and stand-alone storefronts on Coastal Highway, spanning Dewey Beach’s core. Several boat-up eateries also sit along the bay. However, not every restaurant here is open year-round. “A lot of places close during the off-season, but you always find at least one place with live music and a seafood special, no matter what time of year it is,” Redefer says. Amusement park rides and more shopping and dining options line the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, less than 3 miles north. A few convenience stores are in Dewey Beach, but Rehoboth Beach also has the closest big-box grocery stores. Over 100 name-brand stores are available in Rehoboth Beach’s three Tanger Outlets.
Coastal Highway in Dewey Beach is lined with plenty of restaurants such as Starboard Raw or Gary's Dewey Beach Grill.
Go on a shopping spree at the Tanger Outlets which has major retailers just 15 minutes from Dewey Beach.
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Traffic in Dewey Beach backs up during the summer
A 45-mile drive north on the Coastal Highway reaches Dover, while the Delaware-Maryland border near Fenwick Island is about 16 miles south. Redefer warns that traffic on the highway increases during the summer. “It’s pretty much at a standstill all day every Saturday during tourist season. We try to walk everywhere to avoid driving on it.” The DART Beach Bus offers year-round transportation to Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, while the Jolly Trolley only provides rides to those towns during the summer. Beebe Healthcare, 8 miles north, is the closest hospital. Salisbury, 46 miles southwest, has the nearest regional airport.
Dewey Beach residents have access to DART Bus stations which take you up and down the Coastal Highway.
Pocomoke City residents have easy access to the Salisbury Airport, only 25 miles away.
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A-minus grade and above for the Cape Henlopen School District
The Cape Henlopen School District serves the area. Kids can attend Rehoboth Elementary and Beacon Middle, both earning As from Niche. They may continue to A-minus-rated Cape Henlopen High, where career pathways include performing arts, communication and visual arts. Each school is located outside Dewey Beach, but the district offers bus routes.
Rehoboth Elementary has received an overall rating of A from Niche.
Cape Henlopen High School is a highly rated, public school located in Lewes, DE.
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Dewey Beach has a small park, and other recreation spaces are nearby
Aside from a beach, the town is home to John Waples Memorial Park, a pocket green space with a playground, gazebo and sand pit. The Sussex Family YMCA, 2 miles northwest, has an indoor pool, fitness center and basketball courts. Hiking trails stretch around World War II control towers, past camping sites and through pine forests at Cape Henlopen State Park, less than 10 miles north.
Cast your line off of the fishing pier in Cape Henlopen State Park.
Kids can play with trucks in the sandbox at John Waples Memorial Playground.
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Written By
Meghan Baker
Photography Contributed By
Bill Marrs
Video By
Dan Mack
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Kim Hitchens,
an experienced agent in this area.
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On average, homes in Dewey Beach, DE sell after 102 days on the market compared to the national average of 54 days. The median sale price for homes in Dewey Beach, DE over the last 12 months is $1,100,000, up 13% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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