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Delaware has a substantial and rapidly growing older-adult population, creating continued demand for services that help individuals remain safe, comfortable, and independent at home. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey age estimates, approximately 306,200 Delaware residents were age 60 or older — about 29% of the state's population. Approximately 227,800 residents were age 65 or older, representing 21.7% of the population.

Delaware's own 2024–2028 State Plan on Aging states that the state's older population is growing at a rate that outpaces much of the nation. Between 2010 and 2020, Delaware's population age 65 and older increased by 52%, and the state projects that by 2030 it will have the 9th-highest proportion of residents age 65+ in the country. By 2050, older adults are projected to account for approximately 34% of Delaware's population. These demographic trends point to a significant long-term need for personal assistance, companionship, respite, and other home-based support services.

Chronic health conditions can increase the need for dependable assistance with everyday activities, particularly as Delaware's population continues to age. The Delaware Division of Public Health's Burden of Chronic Disease in Delaware 2024 report found that 13.9% of Delaware adults had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2022, compared with a national median of 11.5%. The report also found that 36.2% of Delaware adults reported having hypertension in 2021, compared with a national median of 32.4%.

Obesity, another important chronic-disease risk factor, affected 37.9% of Delaware adults in 2022, compared with a national median of 33.6%. For older adults and individuals experiencing chronic illness, mobility limitations, or age-related changes, non-medical home care can provide valuable assistance with personal care, meal preparation, mobility, companionship, light housekeeping, and other activities of daily living.

Delaware has made home- and community-based services an important part of its strategy for supporting an aging population. The state's current 2024–2028 State Plan on Aging identifies Home and Community-Based Services as a major focus area and specifically establishes a goal of providing in-home services and supports that allow Delawareans to age in place where and how they choose.

Programs supported through Delaware's aging network include personal care, respite care, adult day services, case management, home-delivered meals, preventative care, and personal emergency response systems. The state is also working to expand home modifications and partnerships with community organizations to increase access to healthy-aging and home-based services. As Delaware's older population continues to expand, these priorities demonstrate the growing importance of services that support individuals outside institutional settings.

Delaware combines a rapidly aging population with continued overall population growth. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Delaware's population at 1,059,952 residents in 2025, up approximately 9,800 residents in a single year. Delaware's 0.9% growth rate from 2024 to 2025 ranked 6th-highest among all states.

Although Delaware has only three counties, each provides distinct opportunities for locally operated home care. New Castle County includes the state's largest population centers and communities such as Wilmington and Newark; Kent County includes Dover and surrounding communities; and Sussex County has an especially significant senior demographic. The 2024 American Community Survey estimated approximately 100,500 Sussex County residents age 60 or older, representing about 39% of the county's population. This concentration of older residents, combined with growth throughout the state, creates opportunities for home care businesses serving urban, suburban, coastal, retirement, and community-based markets.

Aging in place is an explicit priority within Delaware's current statewide aging strategy. The Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities states that it is committed to helping older Delawareans age in place where and how they choose, with programs intended to help individuals remain safe, healthy, independent, and engaged in their communities.

Delaware is also unique in that the entire state functions as a single Planning and Service Area for aging services. The Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities serves as both the State Unit on Aging and performs the functions of an Area Agency on Aging, allowing it to coordinate and contract for services statewide. Its current plan specifically calls for expanding home- and community-based services, improving home accessibility, strengthening caregiver resources, and supporting older adults in remaining in their own homes.

EmmUcare's non-medical home care model aligns naturally with these priorities by providing personalized assistance that can help clients preserve their routines, dignity, independence, and connection to their communities.

Delaware offers several characteristics that can make it attractive for franchise ownership:

• Continued Population Growth: Delaware ranked 6th nationally for percentage population growth from 2024 to 2025, providing entrepreneurs with access to expanding communities and a growing potential customer base.
• No State or Local Sales Tax: Delaware does not impose a state or local sales tax, although businesses may be subject to Delaware's gross receipts tax depending on their activities.
• Recognized Business Infrastructure: Delaware is home to approximately 1.3 million legal entities, and more than half of the nation's Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in the state. Delaware's Court of Chancery and established corporate-law system contribute to its longstanding reputation as a center for business formation.
• Competitive Tax Categories: In the 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index, Delaware ranked No. 24 overall and No. 2 nationally in the sales-tax, property-tax, and unemployment-insurance-tax categories.
• Strategic Northeast Location: Delaware's location places the state within a few hours of major population and business centers including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and the New York metropolitan region. Delaware's own business-development resources note that approximately 40% of the U.S. population is within a few hours' drive.

These advantages, combined with Delaware's growing population and unusually large share of older residents, provide a strong foundation for entrepreneurs seeking to develop a locally operated service business.

Becoming an EmmUcare Home Health franchise owner means building your business with an established brand, structured systems, and an experienced support team behind you. Franchisees receive comprehensive initial training, operational guidance, recruiting and onboarding resources, marketing support, technology resources, and ongoing assistance designed to help them launch, operate, and grow their local business.

EmmUcare's Care Centered Around You philosophy provides franchise owners with a recognizable mission focused on compassionate, personalized support and helping individuals maintain independence in the comfort of their homes. With Delaware's rapidly growing senior population, strong emphasis on aging in place, and expanding demand for home- and community-based services, an EmmUcare franchise offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to build a meaningful local business while benefiting from the resources, structure, and support of an established home care brand.