City · New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, city, in Strafford County, New Hampshire. Dover had 34,623 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 32,741 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 33,364 (±27). GEOID 3318820.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
34,623
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 32,741 · ACS 2020-2024: 33,364 ±27
Median household income
$94,829
±$6,905 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$436,700
±$20,333 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,607
±$100 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Dover and what county is it in?
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire. It covers 26.7 square miles of land, 1,225 residents per square mile in 2020.
Dover is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 34,623 people lived in Dover on July 1, 2025, up 5.7% since 2020, faster than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 32,741 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 33,364 (±27).
| Measure | Dover | Strafford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 33,364 ±27 | 132,575 | +1,787 |
| Households | 15,042 ±455 | 52,080 | +1,553 |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.06 | 2.39 | −0.12 |
| Housing units | 15,433 ±472 | 56,609 | +1,207 |
Dover's population since 2000
From 26,884 in 2000 to 34,623 in 2025: up 28.8%. 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 36.9 years old; 16.9% are under 18 and 16.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.3%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 4.8%. 6.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Dover | Strafford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 ±1.9 | 38.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.9% ±1.5 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.8% ±1.2 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 49.5% ±1.4 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.5% ±1.0 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.3% ±1.9 pts | 87.6% | −2.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±1.0 pts | 2.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±1.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.0% ±1.1 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.7% ±1.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±1.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0% ±1.8 pts | 13.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.3% ±1.6 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.8% ±0.8 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.0% ±2.9 pts | 39.3% | +5.5 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 18.2% ±2.0 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.5% ±2.9 pts | 84.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.3% ±1.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
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 15,042 households earn less than $94,829 a year (±$6,905), against $88,570 in Strafford County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $88,156 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dover | Strafford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,829 ±$6,905 | $88,570 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $116,147 ±$4,486 | $114,189 | – |
| Per capita income | $52,795 ±$2,207 | $46,304 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3% ±1.5 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.4% ±3.0 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.0% ±2.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.1% ±1.1 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.4% ±1.3 pts | 93.5% | – |
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 52.7% of Dover's occupied homes and renters 47.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $436,700 by its owner (±$20,333). The median renter pays $1,607 a month including utilities, and 39.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Dover | Strafford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $436,700 ±$20,333 | $362,800 | +$110,935 |
| Median gross rent | $1,607 ±$100 | $1,488 | +$184 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.6% ±5.6 pts | 41.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,541 ±$113 | $2,330 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 52.7% ±3.0 pts | 67.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 47.3% ±3.0 pts | 32.9% | – |
| Housing units | 15,433 ±472 | 56,609 | +1,207 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.1% ±2.5 pts | 55.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.4% ±1.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.1% ±2.0 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.9% ±3.5 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
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 123 new housing units in Dover in 2025 (52 in single-family houses), 3.6 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
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?
69.1% of Dover's workers drive alone and 18.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Dover | Strafford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.7% ±2.1 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±1.3 pts | 3.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.1% ±3.8 pts | 71.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.0% ±1.4 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.1% ±1.0 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.6% ±2.7 pts | 16.2% | +13.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.7 min ±1.4 | 26.0 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?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Dover (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $79,450 (Tract 815) to $126,250 (Tract 811.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 816Strafford County | 7,498 | $124,831 |
| Tract 815Strafford County | 6,112 | $79,450 |
| Tract 813Strafford County | 5,624 | $83,264 |
| Tract 812Strafford County | 5,264 | $120,661 |
| Tract 811.01Strafford County | 4,841 | $85,528 |
| Tract 814Strafford County | 2,245 | $86,434 |
| Tract 811.02Strafford County | 1,780 | $126,250 |
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 New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dover is the 1,202nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 4th-most populous of 13 in New Hampshire.
Dover ranks 123rd of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 4th | 13 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 26th | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 19th | 241 |
| Median household income | 123rd | 235 |
| Per capita income | 90th | 240 |
| Median home value | 70th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 57th | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 73rd | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40th | 239 |
| Median age | 218th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 225th | 241 |
| Work from home | 77th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 189th | 241 |
Dover's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, 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?
6 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' public schools in Dover.