Page 2 of Best Independent Living in Delaware

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 40 independent living communities in DE using DE Dept. of Health & Social Services (DHSS) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank independent living in DE
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We analyzed These are the facilities in Delaware our team has analyzed — not a count of every independent living provider in Delaware.
40 homes
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Info below is compiled from the DE Dept. of Health & Social Services (DHSS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. NH (Nursing Home): 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility): Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. RC (Respite Care): Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care. HC (Home Care): Professional care delivered in the person's own home, from companionship to skilled nursing. HOS (Hospice Care): Comfort-focused care for those with a terminal illness, prioritizing quality of life over treatment. PC (Palliative Care): Comfort-focused care for serious illness at any stage, including alongside curative treatment. CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community): A campus with multiple care levels so residents can age in place without moving.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Description of bed or unit types offered (e.g. assisted living, memory care), as reported in state or facility disclosures.
Better Business Bureau grade for the operating company. Reflects complaint handling and business practices, not clinical care quality.
A named contact for the facility. Hover the name to see their role — Administrator (state administrator of record or facility-provided administrator), Nursing Director, Medical Director, or Staff. The most authoritative available is shown.
Name of the director of nursing on record, when the state publishes this field.
Cokesbury Village
IL
AL
CCRC
MC
NH
SNF
Hockessin
49
Facility 49
DE AVG 77
Rank #11 / 19
Yes
12
Facility 12
DE AVG 42
Rank #36 / 40
1 Bed / 2 BedA+Kristen Binz-PerroneAmy Ironside
The Moorings at Lewes Assisted Living
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Lewes (Lewes Historic District)
45
Facility 45
DE AVG 77
Rank #14 / 19
No
65
Facility 65
DE AVG 42
Rank #9 / 40
--Annette V MooreLori Dibiase Warrington
Shipley Living
IL
AL
NH
RC
SNF
Wilmington
17
Facility 17
DE AVG 77
Rank #19 / 19
Yes
13
Facility 13
DE AVG 42
Rank #35 / 40
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed-Chanel Dale LateefMichael Asika
Excelcare at Newark LLC
IL
HOS
MC
NH
PC
RC
SNF
Newark
101
Facility 101
DE AVG 77
Rank #7 / 19
No
28
Facility 28
DE AVG 42
Rank #30 / 40
--Rhonda QuinlanFinda Josephine Menjor-Kromah
The Summit
IL
AL
CCRC
MC
RC
Hockessin
120
Facility 120
DE AVG 77
Rank #5 / 19
Yes
10
Facility 10
DE AVG 42
Rank #37 / 40
1 Bed / 2 Bed-Tracey CavacinoChemille Hoggs
Forwood Estates
IL
AL
Wilmington
40
Facility 40
DE AVG 77
Rank #16 / 19
Yes
35
Facility 35
DE AVG 42
Rank #22 / 40
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed-Rawalda Alexis Goring - EdPauline Mwangi
Harmony at Kent
IL
AL
MC
Dover
115
Facility 115
DE AVG 77
Rank #6 / 19
Yes
33
Facility 33
DE AVG 42
Rank #26 / 40
--Rebecca Thomas - EdLatoya Deal
Forwood Manor Assisted Living
IL
AL
Wilmington
40
Facility 40
DE AVG 77
Rank #16 / 19
No
35
Facility 35
DE AVG 42
Rank #22 / 40
--Rawalda Alexis Goring - EdPauline Mwangi
Westminster Village In Dover
IL
AL
MC
NH
RC
SNF
Dover
-Yes
31
Facility 31
DE AVG 42
Rank #28 / 40
1 Bed / 2 Bed-Wendy Nerad-
Paramount Senior Living at Newark
IL
AL
HC
HOS
MC
RC
SNF
Newark
132
Facility 132
DE AVG 77
Rank #2 / 19
Yes
16
Facility 16
DE AVG 42
Rank #33 / 40
-A+Josephine BowserMaria Phillips

Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each independent living community is ranked against every other DE independent living community we track that reports that metric, not just the 40 on this page. See how we rank facilities

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Overview of Forwood Estates

Forwood Manor is a charming senior living home that offers a friendly atmosphere where residents can feel comfortable making new friendships. They offer assisted living, independent living, and respite care services. As the name suggests, the senior living home offers a high-quality senior-living experience that is established through their excellent service that many families from all over the country acclaim. A proud member of the Five Star Residences, Forwood Manor offers a stress-free senior living lifestyle for you. 

Life at Forwood Manor offers modern amenities and friendly staff, they offer senior care service like no other. From delicious meals served any time of the day, to fun activities open for everyone, they always strive to provide everything you will need. Residential life is all about amenities: housekeeping, physical therapy, social events, 24-hour concierge, hair salon, library, and restaurant-style dining.

Contact Forwood Estates

Overview of Paramount Senior Living at Newark

At Paramount Senior Living at Newark, they take senior living to the next level with their premier community in Newark. The community’s commitment to providing a high quality of life for residents and their families is evident in the state-of-the-art facility, offering independent living, assisted living, dementia care, home health care, and hospice care.

At Paramount Senior Living at Newark, seniors can enjoy a maintenance-free environment with daily housekeeping, fresh linens, medication management, and an emergency call response service for added safety. But it’s not just about the practicalities – Paramount also believes in nurturing an active lifestyle and nutritious dining options with three scratch-made daily meals. With Paramount, seniors can truly live life to the fullest. In addition to their top-notch amenities, they offer physical, occupational, and speech therapy and physician and social service visits.

Contact Paramount Senior Living at Newark

Overview of Cokesbury Village

Cokesbury Village, a part of the Acts Retirement-Life Communities, is nestled in the heart of Hockessin, Delaware. The 60-acre property exudes an idyllic atmosphere with easy access to airports and is surrounded by public spaces and native woodlands. Thoughtfully designed floor plans and health services that cater to every level of care, including assisted living, skilled care, and rehabilitation services, are also available. The community is filled with familial charm and boasts resort-like living.

What’s more, Cokesbury Village takes pride in having a long-tenured staff and being a not-for-profit organization.

Contact Cokesbury Village

Overview of Excelcare at Newark

Excelcare at Newark provides nursing home and skilled nursing care, independent living, memory care, respite care, hospice care, and palliative care in Newark, DE. Nursing care and skilled nursing provide licensed nursing care around the clock. Memory care offers a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while respite care offers a short stay for a family whose usual caregiver needs to travel or recover. Hospice and palliative care provide comfort focused support for people with serious or life limiting illness. The community has 101 beds, and its range of care options may be a good fit for a resident whose needs change over time and who may be able to remain within one community as care needs grow.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted. Medicare can cover short term skilled care after a hospital stay, Medicaid may help when savings do not cover a long stay, and private pay offers another way to pay for care. Rehabilitative Care and rehabilitation services give residents access to therapy aimed at recovery or maintenance, while nutritious, restaurant style dining provides meals in a restaurant style setting. Rhonda Quinlan serves as administrator.

Contact Excelcare at Newark LLC

Shipley Living

2723 Shipley Rd, Wilmington, DE 19810
Overview of Shipley Living

Shipley Living offers nursing home care, skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, and respite care in Wilmington, DE. Skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while assisted living supports daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication management while a resident maintains an apartment. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, and respite care offers a short stay for someone whose usual caregiver needs to travel or recover.

With 17 beds, Shipley Living is a smaller community that may suit someone who prefers a setting where staff and residents can become familiar with one another. The range of care levels can also suit a resident whose needs grow over time, allowing continued care within the community rather than requiring a move elsewhere. Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options include a single private space as well as layouts that can accommodate a couple or companion.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted, giving families several listed ways to cover care. Total nurse staffing is 4 hours and 11 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily hands-on nursing time assigned per resident. Pets are allowed, so residents may keep a pet with them at the community, and Chanel Dale Lateef serves as the administrator.

Contact Shipley Living

The Summit

5850 Limestone Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707
Overview of The Summit

The Summit Retirement, located in Hockesin, DE, is a premier retrement community offering independent living and assisted living, and memory care services, and amenities. Surrounded by beautiful woods, this senior living community offers a safe space for seniors looking to get away from the city. They offer one to two bedroom accomodations featuring private bathrooms with walk-in showers, ample closte space, and kitchenette with a dining area and living room.
For residents in need of assistive services, their assisted living and memory care programs provides residents with assistance with dialy living activities including mobility. Their rich array of amenities on the other hand are accesible to every resident in the community. They offer gourmet meals with tableside service, daily, as well as weekly housekeeping, and concierge services for convenience.

Contact The Summit

Overview of Forwood Manor Assisted Living

Forwood Manor is a charming senior living home that offers a friendly atmosphere where residents can feel comfortable making new friendships. They offer assisted living, independent living, and respite care services. As the name suggests, the senior living home offers a high-quality senior-living experience that is established through their excellent service that many families from all over the country acclaim. A proud member of the Five Star Residences, Forwood Manor offers a stress-free senior living lifestyle for you.

Life at Forwood Manor offers modern amenities and friendly staff, they offer senior care service like no other. From delicious meals served any time of the day, to fun activities open for everyone, they always strive to provide everything you will need. Residential life is all about amenities: housekeeping, physical therapy, social events, 24-hour concierge, hair salon, library, and restaurant-style dining.  

Contact Forwood Manor Assisted Living

Overview of Harmony at Kent

Harmony at Kent offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care in Dover, DE. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while a resident keeps an apartment. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering, and Harmony at Kent may be a good fit for a resident whose needs may grow over time because multiple care levels are available on one campus.

Respite care is available for short stays, which can suit a family caregiver who needs to travel or recover. Residents can use on-site physical and occupational therapy, so rehabilitation does not require arranging transportation elsewhere. Restaurant-style dining, a movie theater, bistro, library, game room, walking path, and a full calendar of social events give residents places to eat, pursue activities, and spend time outdoors, while transportation to routine health appointments helps with those scheduled trips.

Pets are allowed, so a resident may bring a pet to the community. Harmony at Kent has 115 beds. A Walk Score of 33 places the area in a car-dependent setting, meaning most errands require a car or a ride for a resident who no longer drives. The administrator is Rebecca Thomas - Ed.

Contact Harmony at Kent

Overview of The Moorings at Lewes Assisted Living

The Moorings at Lewes Assisted Living offers nursing home care, assisted living, independent living, memory care, and skilled nursing in Lewes, DE. Independent living provides a private living space with community services and no daily care, while assisted living offers help with tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while the resident keeps an apartment. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

Nursing home and skilled nursing care provide licensed nursing care on site around the clock. The community may be a good fit for a resident whose needs may grow over time, since moving between care levels can happen without leaving the community or starting over socially. That continuity can matter when a resident needs more support later.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are accepted. Medicare can cover short term skilled care after a hospital stay, Medicaid may help with eligible longer term care, and private pay means paying directly. Annette V Moore serves as the administrator, and total nurse staffing is 4 hours 10 minutes per resident each day, representing the daily nursing time allocated to an individual resident.

The Lewes Historic District has a Walk Score of 65 out of 100, making the area somewhat walkable, with some errands possible on foot for a resident who no longer drives. A pool provides an on site place for swimming or water based activity, while rehabilitation services support recovery or help a resident maintain function as part of their care.

Contact The Moorings at Lewes Assisted Living

Overview of Westminster Village in Dover

Westminster Village in Dover is a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Dover, Delaware, set on 27 acres about 2.7 miles from the city center. It offers a full continuum of care on one campus, spanning independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, respite care, and rehabilitation. That range is its defining feature: a resident can move between levels of support as needs change without leaving the community or the people around them. The community serves adults aged 55 and older and is managed by Executive Director Wendy Nerad.

Daily life is organized around the Thrive Wellness program, a resident-driven approach built on six dimensions of wellness. In practice that shows up as fitness classes, wellness programming, dining options, and time spent in the community’s gardens. Transportation services and on-site fitness and recreation round out the offering, and pets are welcome.

Housing is arranged in single-story buildings, with one-bedroom and two-bedroom options ranging from 550 to 1,130 square feet. The floor-plan range gives couples and singles room to choose a layout that fits how they actually live.

The campus sits in a residential part of Dover that scores 31 out of 100 for walkability, so a few errands may be reachable on foot while most trips will involve a short drive or the community’s transportation. For families weighing a continuum-of-care setting, an in-person visit is a good way to see how the wellness programming and shared spaces feel day to day.

Contact Westminster Village In Dover

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
How we're paid: If we help you find a community and you move in, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
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Frequently Asked Questions about Independent Living in Delaware

What is independent living?

Independent living communities are residential settings for active older adults — typically with private apartments or cottages, shared amenities (dining, fitness, activities), and no built-in medical care.

How many independent living communities are listed on this page?

This page features 40 independent living communities in Delaware. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right independent living community in Delaware?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Delaware, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting independent living communities in Delaware?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.

Independent Living in Delaware at a glance

Avg Walk Score: 42/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in Delaware. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 77The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Delaware. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90