Population 33,830 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dover
Household size in Dover
| Period | Dover | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.60 | 2.49 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Dover is a place of small households, averaging 2.22 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.33 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the east.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.9 | 40.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 39.7 | 42.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 40.4 | 43.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.8 | 44.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.9 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in Dover is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.5, mirroring the country. Dover is younger than the great majority of New Hampshire cities.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.9% of households in Dover, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4% | 36.8% | 27.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.7% | 38.5% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.8% | 38.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.6% | 38.4% | 27.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Dover than nationally: 46.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 68 New Hampshire cities with 5,000+ people, only five have 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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 8.1% | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.4% | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 7.3% | 12.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 6.7% | 11.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Dover: just 4.1% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.5 points, as it has nationally. Dover has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five New Hampshire cities.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1958 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1959 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1961 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Dover was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $875 | $1,171 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,067 | $1,251 | $1,094 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,160 | $1,537 | $1,224 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,578 | $2,051 | $1,597 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$704 | +$881 | +$580 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dover costs $1,578 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Boston area as a whole ($2,051). Rents are up $704 a month from 2006–10, an 80% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0% | 42.2% | 33.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.3% | 44.1% | 35.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.6% | 48.2% | 37.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.0% | 51.9% | 41.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Dover is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (52.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 14.0 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.9% | 89.8% | 91.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 90.6% | 92.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 91.5% | 93.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 91.8% | 94.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Dover: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 8.0% | 6.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Dover than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 | 2.22 | 39.8 | 6.9% | 46.6% | 4.1% | 1976 | $1,578 | 52.0% | 97.0% | 4.1% |
| Rollinsford | 2.74 | 37.3 | 17.1% | 36.8% | 7.8% | 1953 | $1,694 | 33.9% | 95.0% | 4.3% |
| Madbury | 3.00 | 34.5 | 9.0% | 20.7% | 10.2% | 1985 | $1,505 | 58.8% | 98.0% | 2.9% |
| Somersworth | 2.35 | 41.7 | 13.7% | 40.4% | 8.9% | 1968 | $1,496 | 33.2% | 93.9% | 3.2% |
| Durham | 2.84 | 31.7 | 3.6% | 37.5% | 33.3% | 1988 | $1,761 | 67.0% | 98.5% | 3.9% |
| South Berwick | 2.61 | 41.2 | 11.2% | 22.6% | 8.3% | 1972 | $1,807 | 41.8% | 98.3% | 5.0% |
| Eliot | 2.32 | 50.8 | 11.1% | 20.1% | 4.7% | 1973 | $1,854 | 45.0% | 99.6% | 3.8% |
| Berwick | 2.45 | 40.8 | 6.8% | 13.2% | 1.9% | 1989 | $1,190 | 34.9% | 96.0% | 2.4% |
| Newington | 2.71 | 44.1 | 2.8% | 11.0% | 1.8% | 1980 | $2,430 | 77.1% | 99.5% | 1.4% |
| Brixham | 2.79 | 41.5 | 4.4% | 7.6% | 14.1% | 1987 | $1,839 | 50.2% | 96.0% | 2.1% |
| Lee | 2.72 | 40.6 | 5.2% | 8.3% | 9.6% | 1986 | $1,547 | 52.1% | 97.4% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Anthem, AZ · Willingboro, NJ · Wheat Ridge, CO · Baldwinsville, NY · Banning, CA · Barstow, CA · Bel Air North, MD · Bell, CA · Bethel Park, PA · West Chicago, IL
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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