Median Income
$75,804
household / year
Median Home Value
$172,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$976
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Dover, PA a Good Place to Live?

Dover is a small town of 2,054 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $75,804 and a 6.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Dover stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

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: 96.6

Dover's overall cost of living index is 96.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Dover costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Dover, PA National Avg
Median Home Value $172,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $976 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 73.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $75,804 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Dover is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Dover is served primarily by Dover Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Dover, PA National Avg
School District Dover Area SD —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 87.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Dover sees average highs of 39.4°F in January and 85.2°F in July, with 43.9 inches of annual precipitation and 24.6 inches of snow per year.

MetricDover, PA
Average High — January39.4°F
Average High — July85.2°F
Annual Precipitation43.9"
Annual Snowfall24.6"

Demographics

MetricDover, PANational Avg
Population2,054—
Median Age39.938.9
Unemployment Rate6.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)89.8%59.3%
Black or African American2.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.1%18.9%
Asian3.7%6.3%
Under 1825.1%22.2%
65 and over17.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Weigelstown, PA 2 mi Shiloh, PA 4 mi West York, PA 6 mi Wellsville, PA 6 mi Emigsville, PA 6 mi

Dover vs Other Cities

Dover, PA vs Weigelstown, PA Dover, PA vs Shiloh, PA Dover, PA vs West York, PA Dover, PA vs Wellsville, PA Dover, PA vs Emigsville, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

Dover's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Dover roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $172,500 and median rent is $976/month.
Crime data for Dover is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Dover are operated by Dover Area SD. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. 18.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Dover, PA has a population of 2,054, a median household income of $75,804, and an unemployment rate of 6.8%. 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 39.4°F in January and 85.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.9 inches with about 24.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Dover, Pennsylvania is 2,054 with a median age of 39.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Dover: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $172,500, median household income $75,804, schools rated B-. 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.