Delaware is a small-town state. Out of 57 incorporated towns, villages and cities, 26 of them have populations of less than 1,000. Only 10 places in Delaware are home to over 5,000 people! Tiny towns lead to rural, country living, even when due to the size of the state, you're never too far away from one of the big cities. If you're sick of the busy hustle and bustle of Wilmington, Newark, Dover or even the busy beach towns, consider moving to a great small town in Delaware where you really feel like you've escaped it all.

1. Magnolia, Kent County

Magnolia is a tiny town in Kent County that takes up less than a square mile of land and is home to 225 Delawareans. There are three historic homes in Magnolia that are on the National Register of Historic Places, but other than that, there's not much going on in Magnolia. If you're looking for a peaceful place to live while not being too far from Dover, Magnolia is it.

2. Bethel, Sussex County

Bethel is a tiny town in Sussex county, close to the border with Maryland. Fewer than 175 people call Bethel home. The town was established in the 19th century for shipbuilding and nautical trading, with ships built by skilled Bethen craftsmen being launched from Broad Creek's port. Bethel was previously known as Lewisvile and Lewis's Wharf, and boundary disputes kept the town from becoming much larger than it currently is. Present day Bethel is rural and peaceful - a marine community that is proud of its history.

3. Little Creek, Kent County

Little Creek is home to the state's only remaining Round Barn, pictured above, and not much else. With 224 residents at the time of the last census, this small town in Delaware is a great rural escape from the busy Dover life. Legend has it that this bayshore town was originally inhabited by pirates! It was a thriving marine town for years, with oysters as a main commodity, but now life has settled down and the port which once brought prosperity is now part of Little Creek Wildlife Management Area.

4. Townsend, New Castle County

Townsend was a late 19th century railroad stop that had originally been settled by free African American men, and turned into a thriving agricultural town. Now, the community boasts about its "small town feel" and works had to sustain rural living, even though the population tops out at over 2,000 - much higher than any other town on this list.

5. Leipsic, Kent County

Leipsic is a small town in Delaware with under 200 residents. The Leipsic River touches the edge of the town alongside the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The famous Sambo's Tavern is one reason that visitors flock to this tiny town - you can watch the crabbing boats dock while eating some of the freshest catches you'll ever have. We've featured Sambo's in numerous articles for their fresh crab cakes and steamed crabs. If you're looking to settle down in a tiny river town that's not overrun with tourists during the summer, Leipsic might be your paradise.

6. Dagsboro, Sussex County

Dagsboro is a southern Delaware town that tries its best to remain quiet despite occasionally being in the middle of summer traffic as travelers try to reach the Sussex beaches. There are many landmarks in the town, including one of the oldest churches in the United States, Prince George's Chapel. Dagsboro does a great job of keeping the small town feel year-round, and is a great place to live if you'd like to stay near the beaches but skip the gigantic summer crowds.

7. Farmington, Kent County

Farmington is a town where somewhere between 75-110 people have made their homes. When it comes to a small town in Delaware, Farmington is the perfect example. Tiny and rural - if you're looking to get away from it all, settle down in Farmington, off of Rt 13, and truly be in the middle of the country.

8. Odessa, New Castle County

Formerly known as Cantwell's Bridge, Odessa is one of the oldest towns in Delaware. With fewer than 400 residents, when you step into Odessa, you might forget that you're still in New Castle County. Most of this town's downtown area is noted on the National Register of Historic Places, and town residents take pride in the history of their small town in Delaware. Odessa is a great town to live in, and a great place to visit, to get a feel for what life was like before our lives were taken over with smartphones, tablets, and modern day conveniences.

9. Ellendale, Sussex County

There's something you've got to love about a town where notices to residents are still posted for all to see in Town Square - which, in Ellendale, is a beautiful Gazebo in the heart of the town. This tiny town of 380 residents keeps life simple and rural. It's a particularly religious town, too, and it is home to the Philadelphia Bible College as well as the Harbor Christian Academy. Just past Ellendale is the way forward to the Delaware Beaches, so if you're looking for a small town in Delaware that won't take you too far from the beach, Ellendale is an excellent choice.

If you're not quite ready to up and move to one of these small towns, but you would still like to experience tiny town living, check out these great small towns with wonderful restaurants in Delaware, and grab your next meal in the middle of nowhere.r