City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Dover, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Dover - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,386
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$1,230,600
Median home
$2,311
Median rent (state)

Dover - the verdict

Nationally, Dover sits in the 99th percentile for household income and the 78th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

99th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
78th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Dover, MA

Massachusetts's Dover is a small town, with 2,386 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $250,001 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Dover's housing stock carries a median value of $1,230,600, and the median resident age is 46.6 years. Educational attainment runs 83.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Dover reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 654.7 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,311 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

2,386 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Dover compare to other US cities?

Where Dover sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 78% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Massachusetts, Dover ranks #46 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Dover against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Dover near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Dover ranks #208 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Dover only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1 of 233
99th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#101 of 247
39th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#7 of 240
97th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#208 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#4 of 247
98th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

99thIncome percentile
78thSafety percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income · 78th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Dover's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Dover's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 61 Avg. percentile National median
Dover's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Dover's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,230,600 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Dover $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Dover, MA Dover, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dover, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Dover, MA median $250,001/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Dover, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Dover, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 83.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,386
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$1,230,600
Median Age
46.6
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
59.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
83.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
654.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
151.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
503.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
50.6%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
3.9%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
34.8%
Other
0.9%

Based on 1,105 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Dover sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,311/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Pocasset
2,375 people
Boxford
2,325 people
Baldwinville
2,454 people
Belchertown
2,299 people
North Brookfield
2,477 people
Cedar Crest
2,289 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dover's 2,386 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Delmar, DE
2,386 people
Cheney, KS
2,386 people
Bourg, LA
2,386 people
Lauderdale, MN
2,386 people
Taylorsville, NC
2,386 people
Hudson, MI
2,385 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dover's $250,001 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alamo, CA
$250,001 median income
Atherton, CA
$250,001 median income
Bell Canyon, CA
$250,001 median income
Belvedere, CA
$250,001 median income
Camino Tassajara, CA
$250,001 median income
Castle Hill, CA
$250,001 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dover, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Dover, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.5% 12.8% 9.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.1% White 75.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 12.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 9.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Dover compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Dover (this city) 2,386 $250,001
Pocasset 2,375 $84,544
Boxford 2,325 $238,375
Baldwinville 2,454 $56,957
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dover, MA?

What is the population of Dover, MA? +

2,386 people live in Dover, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Dover, MA? +

Median annual household income in Dover runs $250,001, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dover? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Dover; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Dover, MA safe? +

Dover has a total crime rate of 654.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Dover, MA? +

The median home value in Dover is $1,230,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.