City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Dover, NJ

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.

18,420
Residents
$70,519
Median income
$347,100
Median home
$2,205
Median rent (state)

Dover - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Dover lands in the 50th percentile for household income and the 60th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

50th
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
60th
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, NJ

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 18,420 residents in Dover, a small town within New Jersey. Dover households earn a median of $70,519 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.4%. Dover's housing stock carries a median value of $347,100, and the median resident age is 41.0 years. Educational attainment runs 17.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 94 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 57% from five years earlier. Dover reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1093.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New Jersey at 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,205 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Jersey run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 92.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

18,420 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$70,519 /yr

Poverty 9.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Dover compare to other US cities?

Dover measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 50% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 60% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just New Jersey and the picture shifts: Dover ranks #128 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

New Jersey-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Dover near the bottom of New Jersey's cities

Among the 686 New Jersey cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Dover ranks #627 - the 9th 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
#575 of 659
13th percentile in New Jersey
Median Gross Rent
#298 of 686
41st percentile in New Jersey
Median Home Value
#419 of 672
38th percentile in New Jersey
Poverty Rate
#110 of 680
84th percentile in New Jersey
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#627 of 686
9th percentile in New Jersey

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 New Jersey only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

50thIncome percentile
60thSafety percentile

50th percentile nationally for median household income · 60th 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 44 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+)

$347,100 29th percentile more affordable than 29% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. 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, NJ Dover, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dover, NJ-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, NJ median $70,519/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, NJ'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, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.6%

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

Population
18,420
Median Income
$70,519
Median Home Value
$347,100
Median Age
41.0
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Labor force participation
68.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1093.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
222.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
870.3
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,200 residents18,400 residents18,600 residents18,800 residents19,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,412 residents 18,919 residents ▲ +2.8%
Dover's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
94
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
90
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 217
2020 217
2021 3
2022 0
2023 2
2024 94

Permit volume decreased 57% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.1%
Carpool
12.3%
Public Transit
2.7%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
5.5%
Other
10.9%

Based on 10,416 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,205/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Preakness
18,538 people
Colonia
18,294 people
Ocean Acres
18,689 people
Rutherford
18,748 people
Dumont
18,072 people
Iselin
19,151 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dover's 18,420 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sudley, VA
18,420 people
Arroyo Grande, CA
18,412 people
Fairwood CDP (King County), WA
18,437 people
Newton, KS
18,443 people
Newburyport, MA
18,444 people
Tallmadge, OH
18,394 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dover's $70,519 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Belle Plaine, IA
$70,517 median income
Valencia CDP (Valencia County), NM
$70,521 median income
Hammondsport, NY
$70,521 median income
Magnolia, TX
$70,516 median income
Lakewood, WA
$70,524 median income
Belton, MO
$70,525 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dover, NJ 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, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 27.6% 41.8% 22.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 75.0% White 27.6% Black or African American 5.9% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 41.8% Two or more races 22.2% 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 New Jersey 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) 18,420 $70,519
Preakness 18,538 $133,168
Colonia 18,294 $134,301
Ocean Acres 18,689 $117,739
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dover, NJ?

What is the population of Dover, NJ? +

Dover, NJ counts 18,420 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Dover households earn a median of $70,519 annually, 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 New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Dover, NJ safe? +

Dover has a total crime rate of 1093.2 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, NJ? +

Dover's median home value sits at $347,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.