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City · 39,837 residents · Kent County, Delaware

Dover , Delaware

In Dover, a typical home is worth $258,900 and typical rent is $1,344 a month. Compared with all of Kent County, typical household income is 19% lower, the typical home value is 18% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 26 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $258,900

    18% below the county

    26% below Delaware

    • Dover
    • Kent
    • Delaware

  • Typical rent

    $1,344a month

    About the same as the county

    4% below Delaware

    • Dover
    • Kent
    • Delaware

  • Typical household income

    $60,199a year

    19% below the county

    29% below Delaware

    • Dover
    • Kent
    • Delaware

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    26 points below the county

    26 points below Delaware

    • Dover
    • Kent
    • Delaware

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$342,473
1.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,702 a month
4.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Dover is in Kent County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Kent County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Dover apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Dover has the lowest homeownership rate of the 21 cities in Delaware with more than 5,000 people: 47%.

  2. The typical household income in Dover is $60,199, 19% less than in Kent County as a whole ($74,477).

  3. The typical home in Dover is worth $258,900, 18% less than in Kent County as a whole ($316,600).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Dover

What homes there are in Dover, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Dover there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (40%); in Kent County, 66%.

Year built

The typical home in Dover was built in 1983, 10 years before the typical one in Kent County.

There are fewer big homes in Dover than in Kent County: 53% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 75%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 95% of owner-occupied homes in Dover are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Kent County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Dover cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,629): about 72%.

With a mortgage

$1,686 a month

Kent County: $1,741 a month

Without a mortgage

$534 a month

Kent County: $483 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Kent County: 67%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Dover is $1,686 a month, near the figure in Kent County ($1,741).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Dover rose 48% since 2015–2019, more than in Kent County (44%).

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Dover rose 30%, more than in Kent County (25%).

The typical household income in Dover rose 26%: less than home values (+48%) and rent (+30%).

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureDoverKent CountyDelawareUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.7%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.5%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.2%1.6%2.1%3.4%
People per household 2.332.572.482.53
Drive alone 73%78%72%69%
Carpool 9%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Walk or bike 6%2%2%3%
Work from home 9%9%15%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 3.2% of households in Dover live, more than in Kent County (1.6%).

Households in Dover are smaller: 2.33 people on average; in Kent County, 2.57.

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 6%, more than in Kent County (2%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Dover?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Dover, worth $258,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in Dover, which is $60,199 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $88,606 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Kent County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Dover. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,062 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,068

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$254,210
Total interest
$365,749
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,372 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,405 a month

  • Tight

    $1,405 to $1,806 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,806 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in Dover ($60,199 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,068
Principal & interest$1,722
Property tax$123
Home insurance$108
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$115

You need at least $9,062 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Dover and Kent County

Dover is in Kent County, Delaware. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Dover's own numbers

Typical home value
$258,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,344
Typical yearly household income
$60,199
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.57%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Kent County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,629
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+49%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Kent County.

Everything about Kent County

Buying

Buying a home in Dover

A typical home in Dover is worth $258,900: 18% below the county and 26% below Delaware. With the typical household income in Dover ($60,199 a year), a typical home costs 4.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Dover 4.3 years
  • Kent 4.3 years
  • Delaware 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Kent County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Kent County rose 77% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Kent County.

Period County Delaware U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.5% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +49% +51% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +77% +74% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Dover next to Kent County, Delaware and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Dover $258,900
  • Kent $316,600
  • Delaware $352,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Dover $1,344
  • Kent $1,354
  • Delaware $1,401
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Dover $60,199
  • Kent $74,477
  • Delaware $84,954
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Dover next to Kent County and Delaware
Measure Dover Kent County Delaware U.S.
Typical home value $258,900 $316,600 $352,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,344 $1,354 $1,401 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $60,199 $74,477 $84,954 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 73% 73% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,470 $1,363 $1,768 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.57% 0.43% 0.5% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 58% 53% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Kent County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Dover

For a typical $258,900 home in Dover, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Dover's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,067a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,062
    Cash to close
    $16,829
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $115

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,020a month

    Down payment
    $12,945
    Cash to close
    $20,712
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $123

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,634a month

    Down payment
    $51,780
    Cash to close
    $59,547
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,873a month

    Down payment
    $38,835
    Cash to close
    $46,602
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Dover and for Kent County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Dover

0.57%of the home’s value each year

$1,470 a year for the typical owner in Dover.

  • Dover 0.57%
  • Kent 0.43%
  • Delaware 0.5%

What Delaware publishes School property tax credit for owners 65 and older (Delaware Department of Finance)

Exemptions and deadlines in Delaware

Flood risk in Kent County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Kent County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.2%
1,407
Of those, with NFIP insurance
36%
County Delaware U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.2% 5.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 36% 58% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Dover

Typical rent in Dover is $1,344 a month: about the same as the county. In Dover, 58% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Kent County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,629 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $31.33 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Kent County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,286 $24.73 $51,440
1 bedroom $1,294 $24.88 $51,760
2 bedrooms $1,629 $31.33 $65,160
3 bedrooms $2,244 $43.15 $89,760
4 bedrooms $2,590 $49.81 $103,600

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Dover

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Dover has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,570 in 19904 to $1,690 in 19902.

2 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Kent County ($1,629).

  • 19901 $1,690$2,330
  • 19902 $1,690$2,330
  • 19904 $1,570$2,160

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Dover when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Dover

HUD lists 35 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Dover. These are the largest.

  • Luther Towers 430 Kings Hwy, Dover 19901 149 homes, 148 low-income · For older adults (302) 674-1408
  • Sussex Green Apartments f/k/a Capital Greens 471 River Rd, Dover 19901 132 low-income homes · For families (302) 678-3750
  • Senate View 404 New Castle Ave, Dover 19901 117 low-income homes · Run by Dover Housing Authority · Average payment: $448 a month · Average wait: 8 months (302) 678-1965
  • Manchester Square 765 Bacon Ave # 1, Dover 19901 113 low-income homes · Run by Dover Housing Authority · Average payment: $508 a month · Average wait: 23 months (302) 678-1965
  • Clearfield Apts 125 Haman Dr, Dover 19904 95 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2002

See all 63 buildings in Kent County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Dover

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Kent County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Dover

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Dover or Kent County. The ones below are statewide in Delaware: they work in Dover the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Delaware

  • Home Sweet Home

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority second loan of $12,000 at 0%, forgiven 10% for each year you live in the home (all of it after 10 years), for homes up to $285,000; the agency announced it as a temporary program. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Keys4You Home Loan

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority 0% second mortgage equal to 4% of your mortgage, for the down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payments until you sell, refinance or stop living in the home; with the Welcome Home (first-time buyers) or Open Door (any buyer) mortgages. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Take5 Home Loan

    Statewide in Delaware

    Delaware state authority 0% second mortgage equal to 5% of your mortgage, for the down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payments until you sell, refinance or stop living in the home; only with the Welcome Home mortgage for first-time buyers. Offered by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Dover

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Dover, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • First State Community Action Agency, Inc.

    500 W Loockerman St, Dover · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    302-674-1355-114

  • Neighborgood Partners

    363 Saulsbury Rd, Dover · 1 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (302) 678-9400

  • First State Community Action Agency, Inc

    308 N Railroad Ave, Georgetown · 33 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 3 more
    (302) 856-7761

Every agency in Kent County All counseling agencies in Delaware

Help in Spanish near Dover

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Dover

HUD’s record names them for Dover or Kent County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Dover Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (302) 678-1965

2 other authorities have an office in Kent County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Kent County

These cities are also in Kent County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Kent County Housing in Delaware

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Dover, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Kent County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Dover.

All guides
A father smiles as he carries his baby on his shoulders outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Dover

Short answers with the numbers for Dover and all of Kent County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Dover?

The typical home value in Dover is $258,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Kent County it is $316,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Dover?

Typical rent in Dover is $1,344 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Kent County is $1,629.

What is the FHA loan limit in Dover?

Dover uses the FHA limit for all of Kent County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Dover?

The typical homeowner in Dover pays $1,470 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.57% of the home’s value; in Kent County, the rate is 0.43%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Dover?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Kent County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).