Utility costs in Rehoboth Beach (transplants, car registration, insurance)

[SharonCA]

Hi from California!

My friends and my family are thinking of relocating to Delaware beach area. We're wondering #1 if Californians are disliked there, and #2 what is a monthly total utility (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash) cost for the months of January and July (peak months). Your state is so beautiful. Thank you so much!

[skeddy]

A lot of transplants here, haven't noticed any angst against any particular state. California is not really on the radar in coastal Delaware IMO. It's a temperate climate here.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by SharonCA

Hi from California!

My friends and my family are thinking of relocating to Delaware beach area. We're wondering #1 if Californians are disliked there, and #2 what is a monthly total utility (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash) cost for the months of January and July (peak months). Your state is so beautiful. Thank you so much!

Hello, SharonCA! Don't worry about being disliked in the Delaware beach area! Delawareans are typically pretty laid back, and as far as I know, it's a pretty liberal place. Actually, the Delaware beach area has mostly transplants from other areas, such as New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, and other states. Utility Bills: that depends on what you buy ....single family detached, townhome/twin, condo, manufactured home, or other. Come visit!

[Mimidae]

My family vacation home (a bit south of Rehoboth) is a lot smaller than your average beach-area house, but I wouldn't call the utilities high at all. We're charged more in general in the northern part of the state. As far as I've heard, it's less expensive than in California. That might not be true in places like NYC, but Delaware is fairly reasonable for utilities (still more expensive than the deep South, say).

You should not run into a lot of anti-California sentiment in Rehoboth Beach (what a shame that such a thing exists, but I acknowledge that it does in some places). Politically, Rehoboth is a blue dot within a red county, but not red like a state like Arkansas. (A certain current political figure has a beach house in the north end of Rehoboth). I think both sides of the political aisle are a bit more moderate in Delaware than in some states. (People, please observe that I'm not saying one party is better than the other. CA is a blue state, so the political makeup of DE might be relevant.)

And there are lots of transplants; people are used to it. The landscape is much different than California. Sure, we both have beaches, and from what I've seen, they're not dissimilar. But there's no going to the mountains an hour away to ski, like you have in CA. A lot of people like DE because of the proximity to cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C. and New York. But there's no doubt that CA has a far more varied, impressive outdoor scene. We don't have a ton of national parks on this coast like you do in the West. So if your family is very outdoorsy and loves those mountains and redwood forests, they might want to just stay here for a couple of months to see if our outdoor spots are "enough" for them. If they're coming because they're sick of the threat of natural disasters, they'll find that Delaware is a relatively uneventful state. We get the occasional nor'easter that wipes away the beaches for a while, and once every few decades a direct hit from a hurricane. But wildfires are unheard of here, earthquakes are the kind that no one actually feels, and the occasional tornado doesn't do much damage. There's a LOT of suburban sprawl, though, mostly in the northern part of the state, but more and more in the southern part, as well. If this is a long way off, consider coming to visit in the late spring/early summer. You'll get the full affect of the traffic (which locals love to complain about, for good reason), but you might find that it's not as bad as the 101. It's just a little annoying sometimes.

[Gerania]

Filling your car's gas tank will be far less painful.

[SharonCA]

Hi rdlr! Thank you for your response. Actually, I'm retired on a fixed income and getting priced out of CA. But it's okay because I love the northern east coast (mostly familiar with New England). So I would be buying a mobile home, probably around 1000-1100 square ft, so on the small side. Hoping gas rates don't shock me!

[SharonCA]

Originally Posted by Mimidae

My family vacation home (a bit south of Rehoboth) is a lot smaller than your average beach-area house, but I wouldn't call the utilities high at all. We're charged more in general in the northern part of the state. As far as I've heard, it's less expensive than in California. That might not be true in places like NYC, but Delaware is fairly reasonable for utilities (still more expensive than the deep South, say).

You should not run into a lot of anti-California sentiment in Rehoboth Beach (what a shame that such a thing exists, but I acknowledge that it does in some places). Politically, Rehoboth is a blue dot within a red county, but not red like a state like Arkansas. (A certain current political figure has a beach house in the north end of Rehoboth). I think both sides of the political aisle are a bit more moderate in Delaware than in some states. (People, please observe that I'm not saying one party is better than the other. CA is a blue state, so the political makeup of DE might be relevant.)

And there are lots of transplants; people are used to it. The landscape is much different than California. Sure, we both have beaches, and from what I've seen, they're not dissimilar. But there's no going to the mountains an hour away to ski, like you have in CA. A lot of people like DE because of the proximity to cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C. and New York. But there's no doubt that CA has a far more varied, impressive outdoor scene. We don't have a ton of national parks on this coast like you do in the West. So if your family is very outdoorsy and loves those mountains and redwood forests, they might want to just stay here for a couple of months to see if our outdoor spots are "enough" for them. If they're coming because they're sick of the threat of natural disasters, they'll find that Delaware is a relatively uneventful state. We get the occasional nor'easter that wipes away the beaches for a while, and once every few decades a direct hit from a hurricane. But wildfires are unheard of here, earthquakes are the kind that no one actually feels, and the occasional tornado doesn't do much damage. There's a LOT of suburban sprawl, though, mostly in the northern part of the state, but more and more in the southern part, as well. If this is a long way off, consider coming to visit in the late spring/early summer. You'll get the full affect of the traffic (which locals love to complain about, for good reason), but you might find that it's not as bad as the 101. It's just a little annoying sometimes.

Thank you so much for all your info, Mimidae! Sounds wonderful. Yes, we would miss redwoods and Yosemite, but right now in Palm Springs so really miss seasons. My friends and I are lgbt and also wondering if Rehoboth is comfortable for that. I know more about New England having lived there and still with friends... just really need to be in lgbt-friendly environment. How big is the blue dot of Rehoboth?

[SharonCA]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Filling your car's gas tank will be far less painful.

Very good point, Gerania! I imagine car insurance is less expensive, too. Car registration? Pay about $150 a year for a 2011 sedan here.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by SharonCA

Thank you so much for all your info, Mimidae! Sounds wonderful. Yes, we would miss redwoods and Yosemite, but right now in Palm Springs so really miss seasons. My friends and I are lgbt and also wondering if Rehoboth is comfortable for that. I know more about New England having lived there and still with friends... just really need to be in lgbt-friendly environment. How big is the blue dot of Rehoboth?

Rehoboth is extremely gay and LGBTQ+ friendly. Check out Camp Rehoboth or google gay friendly Rehoboth Beach De. Auto gas is $3.82 right now. I just paid $1.89 for Propane and that is only for a gas stove & BarBQue, also a fireplace, but that has not been used in well over 9 months. Car insurance will be a lot cheaper. I came from Long Island, NY and the electric rates are cheaper than I would have paid there, then or now and I am here 11 years. Other than the 3 items using propane I am all electric, with an almost 2500 square foot home and the highest bill I have ever gotten was $269 and I heat with electric.

[nuts2uiam]

I apologize the auto gas is @$3.29. Guess I was thinking of something else.