With 39,837 people, Dover is a city in Delaware. Owners hold 47% of the housing stock. The median age is 34.7, younger than the US median of 38.9. That trails the Delaware median by roughly 29%. 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The population is up 24% since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $60,199, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Dover
What changed most since 1990
Black share30.4% → 44.8%(+14.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
White share64.2% → 34.1%(−30.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$212,886 → $258,900(+22%)US over the same years: +67%
Dover's population equals 21% of Kent County's. Its number of households without a car equals 38% of the county's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 31% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)33.4%(966)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.7%(917)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.7%(1,062)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.9%(142)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(40)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,893 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Dover, decade by decade
Dover population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
27,529
$75,141
$212,886
26.5%
61.7
2000
32,135
$70,442
$196,192
28.8%
72.3
2010
36,047
$66,455
$276,781
27.7%
77.1
2020
39,403
$58,784
$220,712
25.5%
82.4
2024
39,837
$60,199
$258,900
26.7%
83.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
