Population 70,033 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dover
Household size in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Dover run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.65 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.4 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 43.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +3.6 | +2.3 |
Dover is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 33.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of the 37 Delaware cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 12.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Dover: 15.6% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Dover has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Delaware cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dover
Renters in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3% | 26.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.7% | 28.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.0% | 27.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Dover rent their homes (42.0%), above the national share of 34.8%. About a third of owners (33.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Delaware city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 11.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Dover as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 3.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1979 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Dover is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1988, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $953 | $1,037 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,040 | $1,109 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,101 | $1,228 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,354 | $1,514 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$401 | +$477 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dover costs $1,354 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $401 a month since 2006–10, up 42%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dover
Bachelor's degrees in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 27.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.3% | 29.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 31.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.7% | 35.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Dover than nationally: 27.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.2% | 87.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.2% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.1% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.5% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Dover is a bit above the national rate: 91.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Delaware. The share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dover
| Period | Dover | Delaware | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 8.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Dover: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.8 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dover compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 2.54 | 37.2 | 15.6% | 42.0% | 8.4% | 1988 | $1,354 | 27.7% | 91.5% | 7.3% |
| Wyoming | 2.32 | 37.0 | 9.4% | 24.1% | 3.6% | 1977 | $1,602 | 37.3% | 93.8% | 9.3% |
| Dover Afb | 2.79 | 23.1 | 10.5% | 100.0% | 5.0% | 1998 | $1,812 | 42.1% | 96.6% | 4.4% |
| Camden | 2.86 | 39.0 | 14.0% | 17.9% | 6.6% | 1994 | $1,486 | 36.0% | 92.5% | 3.5% |
| Cheswold | 2.76 | 44.0 | 19.1% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 2005 | $933 | 21.2% | 85.9% | 6.0% |
| Little Creek | 2.17 | 39.8 | 8.4% | 28.0% | 24.4% | 1977 | $1,317 | 23.5% | 89.2% | 2.8% |
| Eberton | 2.68 | 50.2 | 1.7% | 3.1% | 1.3% | 2012 | $1,554 | 26.2% | 95.4% | 0.0% |
| Leipsic | 2.54 | 42.6 | 7.3% | 9.4% | 14.6% | 1993 | $1,313 | 19.4% | 90.2% | 1.2% |
| Port Mahon | 2.39 | 35.0 | 11.1% | 11.5% | 30.8% | 1972 | $1,056 | 12.1% | 83.2% | 2.7% |
| Woodside | 3.35 | 38.0 | 6.4% | 19.2% | 1.4% | 1995 | $1,496 | 23.5% | 89.4% | 0.7% |
| Magnolia | 2.93 | 39.8 | 9.0% | 15.9% | 4.5% | 2001 | $1,677 | 39.1% | 91.9% | 8.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dundalk, MD · Huntersville, NC · Clayton, NC · Columbus, IN · Camden, NJ · Weston, FL · Waterford, MI · Trujillo Alto, PR · Sanford, NC · Salisbury, MD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dover. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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