Town · Massachusetts
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover, town, in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Dover had 6,026 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,923 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,930 (±22). GEOID 2502117405.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,026
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,923 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,930 ±22
Median household income
$250,000 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$1,340,300
±$116,823 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$2,917
±$1,892 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Dover and what county is it in?
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It covers 15.1 square miles of land, 392 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Dover: Dover (CDP, 2,452 in 2020).
Dover is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Dover is the same area as Census Tract 4051 of Norfolk County: the tract's figures are Dover's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dover, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,026 people lived in Dover on July 1, 2025, up 1.7% since 2020, in line with Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 5,923 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,930 (±22).
| Measure | Dover | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,930±22 | 730,082 | −114 |
| Households | 1,917±95 | 283,368 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.09±0.15 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,998±116 | 295,227 | no clear change |
Dover's population since 2000
From 5,558 in 2000 to 6,026 in 2025: up 8.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dover as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dover?
The median resident of Dover is 44.9 years old; 26.0% are under 18 and 16.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 11.4%. 16.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Dover | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 | 40.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.0%±3.1 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.7%±2.7 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Male | 49.6%±3.7 pts | 48.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7%±2.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.4%±5.9 pts | 68.7% | −8.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.4%±2.5 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 11.4%±3.1 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.0%±4.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.3%±3.4 pts | 19.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.7%±5.2 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.3%±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| With a disability | 5.0%±2.2 pts | 9.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.3%±1.8 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 84.8%±4.2 pts | 58.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 51.6%±6.5 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.8%±3.5 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dover earn?
Half of Dover's 1,917 households earn less than $250,000 or more a year (), against $130,739 in Norfolk County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 the median was $250,000 or more in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $57,674 after inflation. 2.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dover | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 or more | $130,739 | −$57,674 |
| Mean household income | $407,763±$63,039 | $183,022 | – |
| Per capita income | $133,756±$19,800 | $71,758 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 2.7%±1.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.8%±1.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.3%±1.2 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.5%±0.7 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.8%±3.5 pts | 94.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dover?
Owners occupy 97.9% of Dover's occupied homes and renters 2.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,340,300 by its owner (±$116,823). The median renter pays $2,917 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Dover | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,340,300±$116,823 | $683,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $2,917±$1,892 | $2,149 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0%±61.9 pts | 41.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $3,171 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 97.9%±1.5 pts | 68.7% | +4.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 2.1%±1.5 pts | 31.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,998±116 | 295,227 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2%±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 41.2%±49.4 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 95.8%±3.1 pts | 56.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6%±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.9%±4.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.2%±3.5 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1%±1.3 pts | 9.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Dover building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Dover in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.2 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Dover work and get to work?
45.9% of Dover's workers drive alone and 34.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.6 minutes.
| Measure | Dover | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.2%±4.5 pts | 69.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2%±5.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 45.9%±5.5 pts | 57.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.3%±5.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 6.6%±3.9 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Walked | 2.2%±1.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 34.2%±6.3 pts | 22.8% | +18.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.6 min±3.6 | 32.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dover?
1 census tract lies mostly in Dover (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4051Norfolk County | 5,930 | $250,000 or more |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dover) · Census block assignment files
How does Dover compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dover is the 1,977th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 152nd-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Dover ranks 1st of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 152nd | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 137th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 337th | 461 |
| Median household income | 1st | 453 |
| Per capita income | 4th | 460 |
| Median home value | 9th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 4th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 319th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4th | 459 |
| Median age | 221st | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 6th | 460 |
| Work from home | 21st | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 80th | 459 |
Dover's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Dover with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dover?
19 of the 57 figures for Dover on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dover are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.