Bear is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 19,371 at the 2010 census. Originally a small crossroads in a rural area, approximately 14 miles south of Wilmington, the area supported small farms growing mainly corn and cattle. In the late 1980s and 1990s Bear became a popular location for the construction of sprawling housing developments and shopping centers along U.S. Route 40.