Census Data for South Bethany
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave South Bethany a population of 532 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave South Bethany a population of 449 people.
The town of South Bethany is located in Sussex County. The 2010 Census gave Sussex County; a population of 197,145 people. This means that South Bethany had 0.23% of the county's total population, making it Sussex's 19th most populous community.
At the same time, Delaware had a population of 897,934 people, meaning that South Bethany had 0.05% of the total population of Delaware - making it the state's 37th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for South Bethany has a total area of 0.53 square miles [1.4 km²]. Of this total, 0.51 square miles [1.3 km²] is land, with the balance (3.75%) being water (0.02 square miles [0.1 km²]).
Sussex County has a land area of 936 square miles [2,424.4 km²]. At 0.51 square miles [1.3 km²], South Bethany has 0.05% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a town like South Bethany, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the town.
- Things like population, area and housing for South Bethany reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of South Bethany might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 38° 30' 59" (or 38.52°)
- Lon: -75° 3' 29" (or -75.06°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Sussex County ...
The community of South Bethany is located in Sussex County<3>.
The county had a population of 197,145 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 449 people, South Bethany represented 0.23% of the county's total.
In addition, where the town of South Bethany has a population density of 840 people per square mile [324.6 people/km²], Sussex County averages 210.6 people per square mile [81.3 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Sussex County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for South Bethany, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of South Bethany. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for South Bethany or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of South Bethany, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for South Bethany.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 38.516488° (or 38°30'59" N)
- Lon: -75.058093° (or -75°3'29" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 38.515415° (or 38°30'55" N)
- Lon: -75.057969° (or -75°3'28" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 392.8 feet to the north<4> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2391420) to South Bethany. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of South Bethany. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 38.516165° (or 38°30'58" N)
- Lon: -75.059131° (or -75°3'32" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 318.7 feet to the east<5> of the point given by the GNIS for South Bethany. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for South Bethany.
Miscellaneous Information for South Bethany ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Sussex County or the town of South Bethany:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 10 (Delaware)
- County Code: 005 (Sussex County)
- Place Code: 67700 (South Bethany)
- State & County Code: 10/005 (Delaware / Sussex County)
- State & Place Code: 10/67700 (Delaware / South Bethany)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- South Bethany is located in Census Region #3 (the South Region) and Division #5 (the South Atlantic Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for South Bethany.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for South Bethany: www.southbethany.org/
The official website for Sussex County: www.sussexcounty.net/
The official website for State of Delaware: https://delaware.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | If you're interested in how the shape of Delaware's counties, including Sussex, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <4> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 5 degrees and a distance of 392.8 feet. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 291 degrees and a distance of 318.7 feet. |