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Fenwick Island, Delaware
Town
Fenwick Island Light
Location of Fenwick Island in Sussex County, Delaware
Fenwick IslandLocation within the state of DelawareShow map of DelawareFenwick IslandFenwick Island (the United States)Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 38°27′44″N 75°03′05″W / 38.46222°N 75.05139°W / 38.46222; -75.05139
Country	United States
State	Delaware
County	Sussex
Area
• Total	0.48 sq mi (1.26 km)
• Land	0.33 sq mi (0.86 km)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.40 km)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population
• Total	343
• Density	1,036.25/sq mi (399.69/km)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	19944, 19975
Area code	302
FIPS code	10-26880
GNIS feature ID	213954
Website	www.fenwickisland.delaware.gov

Fenwick Island is a coastal resort town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2020 census figures, the population of the town is 355, a 2.6% decrease over the last decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland–Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is located on Fenwick Island, a barrier spit.

Fenwick Island and its neighbors to the north, Bethany Beach and South Bethany, are popularly known as "The Quiet Resorts." This is in contrast to the wild atmosphere of Dewey Beach and the cosmopolitan bustle of Rehoboth Beach. Fenwick Island, however, is somewhat less "quiet" than "the Bethanies" because it is immediately across the state line from Ocean City, Maryland, which has a reputation as a lively vacation resort.

Named after Thomas Fenwick, a planter from England who settled in Maryland, Fenwick Island lay in the part of Delaware which Lord Baltimore and his heirs claimed during the Penn–Baltimore border dispute.

Contrary to popular belief, the town does not sit on a barrier island but on a narrow peninsula which resembles a barrier island (unless one considers a narrow man-made boat canal well inland that connects White Creek to Little Assawoman Bay). The narrow strip of land separates the Atlantic Ocean from Little Assawoman Bay. Ocean City, Maryland, occupies the southern tip of this peninsula.

Local legend states that Cedar Island in Little Assawoman Bay was a spot for pirates to bury treasure. Regardless of the truth of the legend, the Delaware coastal area was well known as a place for pirates to hide from the law. Cedar Island has just about washed under the bay, as Seal Island did around 2010.

The town was an unincorporated area between South Bethany and Ocean City, Maryland, until July 1953, when the Delaware General Assembly passed an act to incorporate the town. Local sentiment demanded incorporation to prevent the relentless high-rise development of Ocean City from creeping north into Fenwick Island.

Fenwick Island's population was 48 in 1960.

Geography

Fenwick Island is located at 38°27′44″N 75°03′05″W / 38.46222°N 75.05139°W / 38.46222; -75.05139 (38.4623346, –75.0512922).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km), of which 0.3 square miles (0.78 km) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km) (28.57%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fenwick Island has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway), which has its southern terminus at the Maryland border in Fenwick Island, serves as the main north–south road in the town, heading north along the coast toward Bethany Beach and Rehoboth Beach. Coastal Highway crosses the Maryland border and heads south through Ocean City as Maryland Route 528. Delaware Route 54 (Lighthouse Road) begins at DE 1 in Fenwick Island a block north of the state line and heads west toward Selbyville to provide access from inland areas. Between May 15 and September 15, parking permits are required along all streets in Fenwick Island.

DART First State provides bus service to Fenwick Island in the summer months along Beach Bus Route 208, which heads north to the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride and the Lewes Transit Center Park and Ride near Lewes to connect to other Beach Bus routes and the Route 305 bus from Wilmington and south to the 144th Street Transit Center in Ocean City, Maryland, a short distance south of the state line to connect to Ocean City Transportation's Coastal Highway Beach Bus.

Utilities

Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity to Fenwick Island. Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas to the town. Artesian Water Company, a subsidiary of Artesian Resources, provides water to Fenwick Island. Sussex County operates the Fenwick Island Sanitary Sewer District, which provides sewer service to the town. Cable and internet service in Fenwick Island is provided by Xfinity. Trash and recycling collection in Fenwick Island is provided under contract by Waste Industries.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 342 people, 178 households, and 126 families residing in the town. The population density was 994.5 inhabitants per square mile (384.0/km). There were 666 housing units at an average density of 1,936.7 per square mile (747.8/km). The racial makeup of the town was 99.42% White, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.

There were 178 households, out of which 5.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples living together, 2.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.25.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 6.1% under the age of 18, 2.6% from 18 to 24, 11.1% from 25 to 44, 40.6% from 45 to 64, and 39.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,333, and the median income for a family was $68,750. Males had a median income of $46,607 versus $48,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $44,415. About 3.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

• Looking south at Fenwick Island beach
• Fenwick sailboats on southwest side of island

Education

Residents are served by the Indian River School District.

Notable people

• Deborah Birx, physician, diplomat, White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator

See also

• Transpeninsular Line
• Delmarva Peninsula
• Delaware Seashore State Park
• Fenwick Island Light
• Fenwick Island State Park

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fenwick Island, Delaware
3. "The Delaware Census State Data Center". Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
4. World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. D. Field Enterprises Corporation. 1960. p. 88.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. "Climate Statistics for Fenwick Island, Delaware". Retrieved March 8, 2018.
7. Delaware Department of Transportation (2008). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation.
8. "Parking Regulations". The Town of Fenwick Island. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
9. "Beach Bus". DART First State. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
10. ^ "Utilities". The Town of Fenwick Island. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
11. "Service Territory". Delmarva Power. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
12. "Delmarva Service Territory". Chesapeake Utilities. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
13. "Sewer and Water Districts Sussex County Operates". Sussex County, Delaware. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
14. "Waste Collection Services". The Town of Fenwick Island. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sussex County, DE" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
18. "Dr Deborah Birx: White House virus expert quits over holiday travel". BBC News. December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.

External links

• Town of Fenwick Island - Official Site
• Fenwick Island, DE Information

v t e Municipalities and communities of Sussex County, Delaware, United States
County seat: Georgetown
Cities	Lewes Milford‡ Rehoboth Beach Seaford
Towns	Bethany Beach Bethel Blades Bridgeville Dagsboro Delmar Dewey Beach Ellendale Fenwick Island Frankford Georgetown Greenwood Henlopen Acres Laurel Millsboro Millville Milton Ocean View Selbyville Slaughter Beach South Bethany
CDPs	Lincoln Long Neck
Former towns	Nanticoke City North Laurel Roxana
Unincorporated communities	Adams Crossroads Adamsville‡ Angola Argos Corner Atlanta Bacons Bayard Belltown Blanchard Broad Creek Broadkill Beach Bunting Cannon Carpenters Corner Cedar Beach Cedar Creek Clarksville Concord Cool Spring Cross Keys Fairmount Federalsburg Flea Hill Gravel Hill Gumboro Harbeson Hollymount Hollyville Indian Beach Jimtown Johnson Lowe Middleford Midway Mission Nassau North Shores Oakley Oak Orchard Old Furnace Omar Overbrook Pepperbox Phillips Hill Pinetown Portsville Primehook Beach Quakertown Redden Reliance‡ Scotts Corner Shortly Staytonville Stockley Sussex Shores Sycamore Ward Warwick Wescoats Corner Westwoods Whaleys Corners Whitesville Williamsville Wood Branch Woodland Zoar
Hundreds	Baltimore Broad Creek Broadkill Cedar Creek Dagsboro Georgetown Gumboro Indian River Lewes & Rehoboth Little Creek Nanticoke Northwest Fork Seaford
Ghost towns	Banning New Market Owens Station Saint Johnstown
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Delaware portal United States portal

• Beaches of Delaware
• Fenwick Island (Delaware–Maryland)
• Seaside resorts in Delaware
• Towns in Sussex County, Delaware
• Towns in Delaware
• Salisbury metropolitan area
• Populated coastal places in Delaware