MILFORD, Del.- Milford is on pace for decades of rapid population and development growth, according to new city data, prompting council leaders to prepare to manage the increase.
According to a growth and development presentation, Milford has annexed approximately 66 acres within the last 10 years, expanding the city’s total size to nearly 10 square miles. Most of this newly annexed land consists of the Baltimore Aircoil Company site and a city electric substation.
The city’s planning department reports that, at the current pace of 200 new housing units being constructed per year, it will take 17 years to complete all currently approved housing projects. If both approved and proposed projects are counted, the completion timeline extends to 20 years. To fully develop all currently vacant residential land within the city limits, it would take an estimated 36 years.
Milford leaders say the city has seen a sharp rise in new housing construction over the past decade, including developments such as Hickory Glen, Knights Crossing, Red Cedar Farms, Westwood, and Riverwalk Villas. In 2024 alone, 235 new dwellings were permitted, compared to just 44 in 2022.
As of this year, almost 30 percent of Milford’s total acreage remains vacant or agricultural, a decrease from 45 percent in 2018. Council members are expected to continue reviewing long-term strategies to ensure Milford’s infrastructure, services, and planning can keep pace with the growth.