Aspenwater Credit, a small-business funding broker in Dover, Delaware, is listed at 146 S Governors Ave in ZIP 19904. Kent County had 4,971 employer establishments in 2023, 59.6 percent with fewer than five employees, and 19,146 nonemployer businesses in 2024 (Census CBP, NES). Lending partners, not Aspenwater Credit, make credit decisions and set terms.
| Address | 146 S Governors Ave, Dover, DE 19904 |
|---|---|
| County | Kent County, Delaware |
| Employer establishments | 4,971 in Kent County, 2023 (Census CBP) |
| Fewer than five employees | 59.6% of county employers |
| No paid staff | 19,146 county businesses, 2024 (Census NES) |
| ZIP 19904 | 1,016 employer establishments, 2023 (Census ZBP) |
Aspenwater Credit in Dover, DE
Aspenwater Credit is a broker, not a lender, listed at 146 S Governors Ave, Dover, DE 19904. We help owners across Kent County choose a funding structure and take the request to lending partners. Most of that work happens by phone at (302) 307-0447. More about our role is on the about page; phone and address details are on the contact page.
How big are Kent County, DE employers?
Small, mostly. Of 4,971 employer establishments counted in Kent County in 2023, nearly three in five had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023).
| Employees | Establishments |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 | 2,964 |
| 5 to 9 | 758 |
| 10 to 19 | 606 |
| 20 to 49 | 438 |
| 50 to 99 | 128 |
| 100 or more | 77 |
Those establishments employed 61,078 people and paid $3.53 billion in annual payroll. Separately, 19,146 Kent County businesses ran with no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024). Different Census programs and different years produce those two totals, so this page keeps them apart.
What Kent County, DE businesses do
| Sector | Establishments | Share under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 815 | 76.0% |
| Retail trade | 670 | 42.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 525 | 37.3% |
| Other services | 418 | 66.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 386 | 30.6% |
| Construction | 385 | 68.8% |
Health care and social assistance carried the largest payroll in the county, $742.0 million, followed by professional services at $510.3 million and retail at $406.4 million (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). The sectors our partners work with most, construction, restaurants and medical and dental practices, each have a page under financing by industry: contractor financing, restaurant financing and practice financing.
ZIP 19904, the office's ZIP code
Census business counts by ZIP describe a mail-delivery area, not city limits. The city of Dover, DE covers about 21.2 percent of ZIP 19904's land, and the ZIP also reaches outside the city. With that caveat: ZIP 19904 had 1,016 employer establishments in 2023, with 12,387 employees and $776.1 million in annual payroll; 57.9 percent had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
Health care and social assistance led the ZIP with 195 establishments, then professional services with 180, retail with 104 and other services with 88. Accommodation and food services had 58 and construction 47. A ZIP weighted toward practices and professional offices tends to raise questions about practice equipment, fit-outs of leased space and covering payroll while insurers or clients pay.
Self-employment in Dover, DE and Kent County, DE
An estimated 4.7 percent (±1.3) of employed Dover residents were self-employed, compared with 7.6 percent (±0.8) across Kent County (American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). The two ranges do not overlap, so the city's share is lower than the county's. Delaware's statewide figure was 8.6 percent (±0.4); its range overlaps the county's, so the two cannot be ranked.
Building activity in Kent County, DE
New residential units authorized by building permits in Kent County rose from 1,105 in 2023 to 1,201 in 2024 and 1,261 in 2025; in 2025, 1,030 were single-unit homes and 195 were in buildings of five or more units (U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey). Those are residential figures, not commercial ones, but they are steady work for the county's 385 construction employers and the trades that supply them. Equipment financing is where most contractor requests start.
Licenses, zoning and premises in Dover, DE
Owners opening or expanding in the city usually need to sort out state registration, any city license and the zoning of the premises before a partner will fund a fit-out. The state side is covered in the Delaware business license and gross receipts tax guide, the city side in the City of Dover, DE license and zoning checklist.
Commercial property for sale or lease, and existing businesses for sale, come up often in local searches. Aspenwater Credit does not arrange mortgages. A purchase of an existing business, or the fit-out of leased space, is usually discussed as a term loan or another structure from the comparison, and partners will want the seller's records or the lease.
Local help in Kent County, DE
Free advising, the chamber of commerce and economic development contacts are gathered in Kent County small business resources, which lists only what we could confirm from official pages. Aspenwater Credit is not affiliated with any public body or chamber.
Funding paths for Dover, DE owners
- Working capital for payroll and supplier bills ahead of receivables
- Equipment financing for practice, kitchen and job-site equipment
- All six funding types compared side by side
- How to get a business loan in Delaware, step by step
Owners in nearby towns can see their own ZIP figures on the service-area page.
Who Aspenwater Credit works with in Dover, DE
Our lending partners have confirmed they fund contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock, and Aspenwater Credit works with businesses like these in Dover, DE. Each partner still decides case by case.
Paperwork partners commonly ask for
- Recent business bank statements (partners often ask for three to six months)
- An up-to-date P&L and balance sheet, even if you prepare them yourself
- Government-issued ID for each owner
- Proof of ownership and business registration
- Details of any loans, leases or advances the business already carries
- For equipment, the seller's quote with make, model and price
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule.
What happens after you reach out
- You call (302) 307-0447 or send the short form (name, contact details and business name). When we speak, we ask what the money is for, how long you have been in business and roughly what the business brings in.
- We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
- Once you agree, the request goes to partners that provide that type of funding. The credit decision belongs to each partner.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Aspenwater Credit is based at 146 S Governors Ave, Dover, DE 19904.
By Aspenwater Credit · Updated