What does Delaware's urban growth look like from above? Looking back at twenty years of development using satellite imagery

It is easy to forget what things used to be like. Once a housing development goes up, the farmland that used to be there can quickly become a distant memory. After months of seemingly never-ending road work finishes, driving on the new stretch of highway becomes routine. But as we end one decade and go into a new one, it is worth trying to remember some of this change. Since 2000, Delaware’s population has grown by more than 20 percent, reaching more than 967,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As communities grow, so must the infrastructure to support it. To better visualize this change, Delaware Online/The News Journal used satellite imagery to identify areas that have seen significant development. Here is a sample of that change.

Westmont, New Castle County

Southern New Castle County has consistently grown faster than other parts of the county. By 2030, it is expected to have the largest population. Middletown, once a town of just over 6,000 people in 2000, now has a population of roughly 22,500. In 2019, a 14-mile stretch of U.S. 301 running through Middletown was completed to hopefully ease increasing traffic resulting from the town’s population and economic growth.

Middletown, New Castle County

Between 2013 and 2018, more than 1,200 residential unit building permits were approved in Middletown, according to the Office of State Planning Coordination. The only local jurisdiction in the state with more permits over this period was Wilmington, the state’s largest city. Middletown also had 1.8 million square feet of nonresidential development approved over the same period, more than any other local jurisdiction.

Middletown, New Castle County

But the most extreme growth has taken place in Sussex County, where the population has grown by 40 percent since 2000 – to roughly 220,000. Much of this growth has been in shore towns. Sussex County had the largest number of residential permit approvals between 2013 and 2018.

Bay Forest at Bethany Beach, Sussex County

Millville, Sussex County

Lewes, Sussex County

Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club, Millsboro, Sussex County

A great example of Sussex County’s construction boom is found in a plot of land where construction was once thought impossible. In Bethany Beach, a 2-acre plot of wetlands sat untouched for decades due to environmental regulations. The solution: a blacktop-on-wood cul-de-sac suspended on pilings above the restricted land.

Bethany Beach, Sussex County

More people does not just mean more houses – it also means more infrastructure. New roads, bridges and utilities have been built to support the state’s growing populous.

I-95 and Del. 1 Interchange, Newark, New Castle County

Dover, Kent County

Wilmington, New Castle County

The Newark Reservoir, built in 2006, holds 317 million gallons of water. It is able to supply the city for up to 100 days.

Newark Reservoir, New Castle County

Another common area of development is academic buildings. As buildings age, student bodies adjust and facility requirements change, renovations or new construction takes place.

Dover High School, Kent County

Seaford High School, Sussex County

Growing local economies need places to spend money. Large box stores chains have opened – and closed across the state, and America, over the decades.

Walmart Supercenter, Cheswold, Kent County

Local retailers have had to compete with national outlets as well as online services like Amazon. Malls across the county have closed their doors. Delaware’s shopping destination, Christiana Mall, is defying the trend with a fully occupied megamall and a rapidly growing Fashion Center nearby.

Christiana Mall, New Castle County