Dover is a small town of 441 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $36,563
and a 8.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Dover stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Dover is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Dover city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.9
Dover's overall cost of living index is 89.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Dover costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Dover, NC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$88,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$988
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
66.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$36,563
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Dover's violent crime rate is 240.8 per 100,000 residents
— 37% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
240.8 /100k
Property Crime
1259.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Dover, NC
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
6.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
76.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Dover sees average highs of 54.0°F in January
and 90.0°F in July,
with 55.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.7 inches of snow per year.
Dover's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Dover roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $88,200 and median rent is $988/month.
Dover's violent crime rate is 240.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1259.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Dover, NC has a population of 441, a median household income of $36,563, and an unemployment rate of 8.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Dover averages 54.0°F in January and 90.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.0 inches
with about 0.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Dover, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 28526.
The population of Dover, North Carolina is 441 with a median age of 55.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Dover: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $88,200, median household income $36,563, crime index 62 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Dover side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.