Delaware is one of the most cost-competitive, strategic locations in the United States.

Delaware is a top destination for businesses expanding into the United States and a desired target for foreign direct investment. Situated in the heart of the Northeast corridor, Delaware is extremely well-connected via road, rail, sea, and air.

I-95, the principal roadway on the eastern U.S. coast, runs through the City of Wilmington in northern Delaware and directly links the state with Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

High-speed passenger and freight rail are abundant in Delaware. Amtrak, a high-speed rail provider, services Wilmington, DE with direct trains to New York, Boston, Miami, New Orleans, Charlotte, Atlanta, and more. SEPTA, the local rail service, connects Delaware to Philadelphia and the surrounding region. CSX and Norfolk Southern also operate regular service in Delaware.

Port Wilmington is a full-service, deepwater port and marine terminal on the Delaware River with the ability to handle container, perishable, breakbulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, Ro-Ro, and other cargo. Port Wilmington is also the first stop off the Atlantic Ocean on the Delaware River.

Wilmington Airport (ILG) continues to add new domestic destinations while nearby Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) offer daily nonstop flights from all major airlines. Also, the Dover Air Force Base (AFB) operates the Super Port, the largest state-side aerial port in the Department of Defense.

Additionally, Delaware has hundreds of properties currently available to lease or buy, ranging from greenfield to turnkey sites. Explore our current listings here or contact Becky Harrington, Vice President Business Development at bharrington@choosedelaware.com to find the right property for your business needs.

Delaware has access to a highly productive, diverse, and talented workforce. Colleges and universities in the state as well as in the surrounding region work hard to train the next generation of thinkers and leaders.

• University of Delaware is one of the top public universities in the country with over 150 majors, including the 5th best chemical engineering program in the United States.
• Delaware State University is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) known for its excellence in teaching, research, and public service with over 60 degrees offered.
• Wilmington University has six campuses throughout Delaware, offering a variety of degree options and flexible class schedules.
• Delaware Technical Community College offers certificates, two-year, and four-year degrees across most technical disciplines.
• Goldey-Beacon College is in Wilmington, DE and offers 25 different degree options to students from over 60 countries.

Delaware also has multiple workforce training programs to ensure the skills of our community match the needs of our business landscape. Delaware Works is a statewide platform that connects businesses and employees, offering business employment, and career-planning resources. Delaware Pathways aims to align skill-building programs in high schools and post-secondary institutions with workforce needs as well as to engage employers with Delaware’s talent pipeline.

Additionally, Delaware’s vocational technical high schools are celebrated as a national model for vocational technical education. At the six full-time vocational schools across the state, students receive on-the-job training in careers fields like science, construction, transportation, business, and more.

Learn more about Delaware’s major industries and employment specialization here.

Additionally, the Delaware Global Innovation program offers a soft-landing for foreign companies interested in moving to Delaware. Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP), in partnership with CSC, provides access to discounted rates on turnkey, flexible co-working space in downtown Wilmington. This soft-landing program gives international companies a comfortable and well-connected homebase while they establish their business in the United States. Learn more here about incorporation from our partners at CSC, one of the world’s premier providers of business, legal, tax, and digital branding services.

Lastly, Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #99 encompasses the entire state of Delaware and offers a competitive advantage for companies importing and exporting to Delaware. An FTZ is an area inside the U.S. that is considered outside the U.S. for duty and tax purposes, creating benefits such as tax savings, lower overhead, larger profit margins, and expedited supply chain.