New Castle County Government

What New Castle County Government does

New Castle County Government is a public administrative subdivision of the State of Delaware, providing essential government services to residents, property owners, and businesses across New Castle County, Delaware. The county operates a comprehensive service portfolio spanning public safety (a 415-officer police department now at fully authorized strength for the first time in over a decade, EMS, emergency management, and the nationally accredited NCC911 Emergency Communications Center), infrastructure (sewer services, stormwater, road maintenance, 251 parks), community services (15 library branches, senior and youth programs, affordable housing, the Hope Center for homelessness), land use planning and permitting, property assessment, recorder of deeds, and economic development. The FY2027 operating budget totals $387.6 million and the capital budget $75.1 million; the operating budget rose 4.4% year-over-year, while the capital budget fell 10.3% as the county addresses a projected $42 million structural deficit. Revenue is generated through residential and non-residential property taxes (FY2027 rates of $0.1575 and $0.2380 per $100 of assessed value, with a 17.2% rate increase for unincorporated residents), sewer service charges (5% increase after being frozen since 2019), permit and licensing fees, hotel tax, and federal grants including a SIPPRA award of up to $11 million for the Family HOPE Project.

The county's technology stack is built predominantly on third-party vendor platforms: the CivicPlus CivicEngage CMS powers newcastlede.gov; the SeeClickFix-powered My-NCC mobile app enables non-emergency issue reporting; the Intrado Viper 7 phone system (upgraded September 2025) underpins NCC911 with RapidSOS location services, Video-to-911 (first in Delaware), Smart911 profiles, and Live Text Translation in 42 languages; and Acquia Optimize provides web analytics and WCAG 2.1 accessibility monitoring. Citizen-facing digital products include Parcel Search, a Property Tax Change Estimator (April 2026), GIS Apps & Maps on the ArcGIS hub, ePlans for permit submissions, QLess appointment scheduling, online tax and sewer payments, and the Vendor Portal. The Information Systems Department has ranked Top 10 in the Digital Counties Survey for six consecutive years, placing 5th nationally in 2025.

Service delivery is exclusively regional, concentrated in unincorporated New Castle County, through the Government Center at 87 Reads Way, the James H. Gilliam Building, 15 library branches, 251 parks, recreation centers, and 24/7 digital self-service channels. The county reports 1,001-5,000 employees, with County Executive Marcus Henry (in office since January 2025) leading an administration that has prioritized economic-development initiatives (SPUR permitting reform, data-center standards, partnerships with Delaware Prosperity Partnership), homelessness response (Family HOPE Project), youth engagement (Youth Advisory Council), and public-safety modernization. Customer segments include unincorporated residents (primary), local small and diverse businesses, vulnerable populations requiring housing and senior services, and property owners subject to county taxes and land-use regulations.

Name

New Castle County Government

Legal name

New Castle County Government

Website

https://newcastlede.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

New Castle County Government is a Delaware county government serving residents and businesses with public safety, libraries, parks, permitting, property tax administration, and 911 communications, operating on a $387.6 million FY2027 budget across 15 libraries and 251 parks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Castle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Property Tax: County collects property taxes from residential and non-residential properties in unincorporated areas. FY2027 includes 17.2% increase to property tax rate for unincorporated residents. Residential rate: 0.1575 per $100 assessed value. Non-Residential rate: 0.2380 per $100 assessed value.
2. Sewer Service Charges: County provides sewer services and bills customers accordingly. FY2027 includes 5% increase in sewer consumption rates. Sewer rates haven't been updated since 2019.
3. Permit and Licensing Fees: County collects fees for building permits, contractor licensing, land use permits, and other development-related services.
4. Hotel Tax: County collects hotel tax from lodging establishments within the county.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New Castle County Government delivers essential local public services to county residents and businesses, including 24/7 police, fire, and EMS dispatch through a nationally accredited 911 center, property assessment and tax billing, sewer and stormwater services, land use planning and permitting, library and parks services (15 libraries, 251 parks), housing assistance, and economic development support. The My-NCC mobile app and newcastlede.gov portal provide digital access to service requests, permits, parcel search, and tax payments.

Product overview

New Castle County Government operates a comprehensive digital services ecosystem built on the CivicPlus CivicEngage platform, offering citizens access to government services through a unified web portal, mobile applications, and specialized systems. The portfolio includes core citizen-facing services (Parcel Search, Property Tax Estimator, Online Payments), emergency response systems (Smart 911 with Viper 7, RapidSOS, Video-to-911), land development tools (ePlans, GIS Maps), and community resources (15 Libraries, Parks & Recreation, Hope Center). The My-NCC mobile app powered by SeeClickFix enables non-emergency service requests, while the CAP Portal and Vendor Portal serve community associations and contractors respectively. The 911 Emergency Communications Center represents the most technology-advanced component, integrating multiple AI-powered capabilities including language translation and video streaming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NCC911 Emergency Communications Center Nationally accredited PSAP providing 24/7 police, fire, and EMS dispatch for New Castle County. Handled 400,000+ calls in 2024 and 436,992 calls through September 2025 (1,594/day average). One of only 25 PSAPs worldwide with both Medical and Fire ACE accreditations.
• Police Services New Castle County Department of Police provides law enforcement, community policing, and emergency response across unincorporated areas of the county. Reached fully authorized strength of 415 officers for the first time in over a decade.
• Online Tax and Sewer Payments Digital payment portal for residents and property owners to pay property taxes, sewer bills, and other county fees online 24/7.
• Parcel Search Online property search tool enabling users to look up parcel details, tax information, assessment data, and property records throughout New Castle County.
• Property Tax Change Estimator Online calculator that provides residents an estimate of their FY27 property tax change amount based on their property address for early financial planning.
• ePlans Electronic Plan Review Electronic plans submission and review system for land use, development, and construction projects enabling digital permit applications and tracking.
• Vendor Portal Self-service portal for vendors to access bid opportunities, RFPs, contractor licensing, and business registration with New Castle County.
• Library Services Network Network of 15 library branches offering eBooks, e-materials, Overdrive, hoopla, Flipster e-magazines, Transparent Language Learning, 3D printing, museum passes, and career help services to residents.
• GIS Apps and Maps Interactive mapping and GIS applications providing spatial data, property maps, zoning information, and location-based services for residents and businesses.
• Smart911 Emergency notification and caller profile system providing 911 operators with real-time location data, video streaming capability, language translation, and caller profile information for faster emergency response.
• Family HOPE Project Pay for Success initiative to end family homelessness in New Castle County, serving up to 120 families through extended emergency shelter, direct rental assistance, and ongoing case management. Funded by up to $11M SIPPRA award (December 2024) with up to $9.6M in federal outcomes payments.
• SPUR - Streamlined Planning and Unified Review Initiative under Executive Order 2026-06 to accelerate permitting and land development review process for businesses, developers, and affordable housing builders. Prioritizes expedited reviews for manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare innovation, e-commerce, high-tech, R&D, and green technology facilities.
• Youth Advisory Council Youth engagement and leadership development program providing young residents aged 14-21 opportunities to share ideas, discuss community issues, and shape county projects through monthly in-person meetings with virtual participation available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 911 center handled 436,992 calls through September 2025 (1,594 calls/day average)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cushman & WakefieldminorOthers · 20 April 2026Globally recognized commercial real estate services firm contracted to review 50 non-residential tax parcels as part of quality control review per Senate Bill 228.
• Social FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Partnership for Family HOPE Project, a Pay for Success initiative to end family homelessness serving 120 families. Structured as SIPPRA project with up to $9.6M in federal outcomes payments. Social Finance provides impact advisory and coordination.
• IntradocoreTechnology or Integration · 24 September 2025Provider of Viper 7 phone system upgrade for 911 Center, enabling consolidated call-processing tools, RapidSOS integration, Video-to-911 capability, Smart911 profiles, and Live Text Translation in 42 languages.
• NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025MOU establishing framework for joint programming, leadership development, mentorship for current and emerging law enforcement leaders, development of Youth Public Safety Academy, and joint community events.
• Delaware Prosperity PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty OED collaborates with Delaware Prosperity Partnership to expedite the Request for Proposal (RFP) and planning processes for businesses considering relocation to Delaware. Goal is to develop an uncomplicated system that prioritizes business support.
• State Division of Small BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty collaborates with State Division of Small Business to expedite RFP and planning processes for businesses. Partnership aims to develop simple systems prioritizing business support.
• CivicPluscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing CivicPlus Content Management System for the county website and SeeClickFix mobile app for constituent issue reporting.
• New Castle County Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Small Business Membership Award Program granting 10 local businesses complimentary one-year Chamber memberships. Partnership for countywide workforce study.
• BowstringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning global creative content studio that produced documentary 'Return to Hockessin #107C', nominated for Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award.
• 1440 Film Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull-service video production company based in Wilmington that produced documentary 'Restless Ground: The Untold Story of Mt. Olive', nominated for Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Montgomery County Government (Maryland): Large suburban Mid-Atlantic county with comprehensive services including police, public works, libraries, and housing programs. Comparable as a peer in digital innovation, diversity of services, and demographic profile.
• Fairfax County Government (Virginia): Large, well-resourced Mid-Atlantic county government consistently ranked among the top Digital Counties in the nation. Comparable as a benchmark for technology adoption, scale of services, and best-practice local government operations.

Direct peers

• Bergen County Government (New Jersey): Mid-Atlantic county government providing similar public services including property tax, public safety, and community services. Comparable as a regional peer with similar demographic and economic profile.
• Howard County Government (Maryland): Mid-sized Mid-Atlantic county consistently recognized as a Digital Counties top performer. Comparable in size, technology adoption profile, and service portfolio to New Castle County.
• Hennepin County Government (Minnesota): Large county government with comprehensive services including public safety, property tax administration, libraries, and housing programs. Comparable in scale, service diversity, and innovation in social programs.
• Cobb County Government (Georgia): Large county government that has been recognized as a top performer in the Digital Counties Survey. Comparable as a peer in technology leadership, scale of operations, and service diversity.
• Wake County Government (North Carolina): Fast-growing county government providing comprehensive services including 911 communications, public safety, libraries, and parks. Comparable as a peer in scale, growth profile, and digital government leadership.
• Kent County Government (Delaware): The other Delaware county government providing similar services including public safety, property tax administration, land use, and community services. Comparable as a same-state peer with overlapping service portfolio but smaller scale.
• Sussex County Government (Delaware): The third Delaware county government providing comparable public services. Similar governance structure and service mandate, though with different demographic and economic profile (more rural, tourism-driven).

Regional players

• Chester County Government (Pennsylvania): Adjacent Mid-Atlantic county government providing similar services including property tax, public safety, and community development. Comparable geographically but with different governance structure (three-member commission).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nccde
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NCCDE
• Facebookfacebook.com/nccde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-castle-county

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Castle County Government