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Cost to drill a well in Delaware: $5,200–$23,200 by county

A drilled, finished water well in Delaware typically costs $5,200–$23,200, with a midpoint of $13,100. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 60 ft across 7,501 completion reports filed 2016–2025, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Key figures for Delaware

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $13,100) $5,200–$23,2001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $2,600–$12,1001,2,3,4,5
Median well depth (7,501 reports) 60 ft1
Middle half of wells 60 ft to 90 ft1
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft2
Median casing depth 50 ft1
Median reported yield 40 gpm1

Estimate a well in Delaware

Typical total: $5,200–$23,200, midpoint $13,100.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Depths from 7,501 domestic well reports in Delaware, 2016–2025: 55 ft (25th percentile), 60 ft (median), 90 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (60 ft × $50/ft)$1,400$3,000$6,8002
Casing, installed (50 ft × $28/ft)$500$1,400$2,3003
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5004
Well permit ($50–$500)$100$300$5005
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0006
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8006
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0007
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3008
Total$5,200$13,100$23,200

No state rate survey yet, so national driller rates are used.

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Well depth by county in Delaware

Total depth of domestic wells by county, Delaware. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 240 ft
Sussex 5,492 60 60–80
Kent 1,667 50 40–160
New Castle 342 170 120–240

Median depth runs from 50 ft in Kent County to 170 ft in New Castle County. At national rates that difference is worth about $7,800 at the midpoint estimate.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Where the money goes on a Delaware well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $1,400–$6,800 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $500–$2,300 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Permits and driller licensing in Delaware

Water wells in Delaware fall under Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Water. A well may not be constructed until DNREC has issued a well permit and a call-in authorization number. The property owner or the owner's agent applies for the permit. Well work done under contract must be carried out by a person holding a valid license issued by DNREC under 7 Del.C. 6023. After finishing a well, the water well contractor submits a legible well completion report and formation log to DNREC.

Sources9

Groundwater and well construction in Delaware

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 50 ft Total depth about 60 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 60 ft well with casing to 50 ft, the Delaware median

Delaware lies in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, where USGS describes a Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system overlain locally by the surficial aquifer system.

A well at the Delaware median reaches 60 ft with casing to about 50 ft. DNREC rules place a new well at least 100 feet from a septic absorption facility and 50 feet from a septic tank, with exceptions in a related subsection.

Sources10,1,9

Delaware compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Delaware60 ft$5,200–$23,200
Marylandno records$6,800–$42,500
New Jerseyno records$6,800–$42,500
Pennsylvaniano records$10,800–$37,600

Sources11,12,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,13,14,15

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in Delaware?

Half of the 7,501 domestic wells reported in Delaware from 2016–2025 are between 60 ft and 90 ft deep, and the median is 60 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in Delaware?

Drilling alone runs $25–$75/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $218/ft at a depth of 60 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in Delaware?

A well may not be constructed until DNREC has issued a well permit and a call-in authorization number. The property owner or the owner's agent applies for the permit. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in Delaware?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see costtodrillawell.com.

Sources

  1. Well Permits , Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  3. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  4. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  5. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  6. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  7. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  8. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  9. 7 DE Admin. Code 7301, Regulations Governing the Construction and Use of Wells , Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  10. Ground Water Atlas of the United States, Segment 11 (HA 730-L): Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia , USGS. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  12. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  13. Well Drilling Cost in Bucks County, PA (2026 Guide) , CS Garber & Sons, Inc. (southeastern PA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-02-04. Drilling plus 6-inch steel casing $35-$55/ft; mobilization $750-$1,500; grouting $8-$14/ft; submersible pump install (1/2-1 hp, complete) $3,500-$6,500; pressure tank $900-$1,800 installed; yield test and water sample $250-$500; turnkey $12,000-$22,000.
  14. Fee schedule , Chester County Health Department (PA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated. New well permits $300; second or additional well $175; alteration $100.
  15. Drinking Water Testing , Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory. Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated (2026 site). Bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) $40; nitrate-nitrogen $15; WD01 standard package $60; WD04 standard plus nitrate $70.

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.