Dover, DE

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Add Comparison

2023 Population

185,043

1.45% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chris Coons

Democratic Party

US Senator

Lisa Blunt Rochester

Democratic Party

US Representative

Sarah McBride

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.5

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

11.3%

8.44% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$72,872

5.19% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$290,600

6.72% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

84,137

2.86% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Dover, DE had a population of 185k people with a median age of 38.5 and a median household income of $72,872. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Dover, DE grew from 182,400 to 185,043, a 1.45% increase and its median household income grew from $69,278 to $72,872, a 5.19% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Dover, DE are White (Non-Hispanic) (57.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (26.4%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.07%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.35%), and White (Hispanic) (2.3%).

None of the households in Dover, DE reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Dover, DE are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Dover, DE are Delaware Technical Community College-Terry (1,999 degrees awarded in 2022), Delaware State University (929 degrees), and Polytech Adult Education (175 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Dover, DE was $290,600, and the homeownership rate was 71%.

Most people in Dover, DE drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27 minutes. The average car ownership in Dover, DE was 2 cars per household.

Dover, DE borders Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, Ocean City, NJ, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Salisbury, MD-DE, and Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ.

Photo by Jeffrey

United States Delaware

Population & Diversity

Dover, DE is home to a population of 185k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.14% of Dover, DE residents were born outside of the country (13.2k people).

In 2023, there were 2.18 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (107k people) in Dover, DE than any other race or ethnicity. There were 48.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.39k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2023 Citizenship

97.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.2% of Dover, DE residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Dover, DE was 97.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Dover, DE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Dover, DE

White (Non-Hispanic)
107k ± 475
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
48.8k ± 1.08k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
9.39k ± 1.23k

7.92%

Hispanic Population

14.6k people

7.92% of the people in Dover, DE are hispanic (14.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Dover, DE as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Delaware.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
13,667 ± 2,850 people
India
10,737 ± 2,530 people
Guatemala
6,256 ± 1,936 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Delaware was Mexico, the natal country of 13,667 Delaware residents, followed by India with 10,737 and Guatemala with 6,256.

Foreign-Born Population

7.14%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

13.2k people

6.61%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.1k people

As of 2023, 7.14% of Dover, DE residents (13.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Dover, DE was 6.61%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Dover, DE compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,734 ± 477
Gulf War (2001-)
4,456 ± 529
Gulf War (1990s)
2,861 ± 446

Dover, DE has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Dover, DE employs 84.1k people. The largest industries in Dover, DE are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,855 people), Retail Trade (11,563 people), and Educational Services (8,225 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($130,028), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,036), and Public Administration ($60,873).

Males in Delaware have an average income that is 1.23 times higher than the average income of females, which is $64,027. The income inequality in Delaware (measured using the Gini index) is 0.457, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

84.1k

2023 Value

± 2,571

2.86%

1 Year growth

± 4.25%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Dover, DE grew at a rate of 2.86%, from 81.8k employees to 84.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dover, DE, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,234 people), Management Occupations (7,765 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (6,769 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Dover, DE.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Delaware (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

84.1k

2023 Value

± 2,571

2.86%

1 Year growth

± 4.25%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Dover, DE grew at a rate of 2.86%, from 81.8k employees to 84.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dover, DE, are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,855 people), Retail Trade (11,563 people), and Educational Services (8,225 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Dover, DE, though some of these residents may live in Dover, DE and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,380

Median earning men ± $1,607

$39,600

Median earning women ± $1,787

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($66,199), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($63,528), and Manufacturing ($59,169).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($52,681), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,288), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($46,599).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

Y-Axis

2.43%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 472k people employed in Delaware. This represents a 2.43% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.1%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Delaware.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

480
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
284
Other Services (except Public Administration)
278
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$698k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$368k
Retail Trade
$349k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Delaware went to Kamala Harris with 56.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.8%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.904%).

Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester are the senators currently representing the state of Delaware. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Dover, DE is currently represented by Sarah McBride in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Dover, DE. Showing the available data for Delaware.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (56.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41.8%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (0.904%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Delaware went to Kamala Harris with 56.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.8%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.904%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Delaware for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Delaware

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

Chris Coons

Senator from Delaware

Assumed office on November 15, 2010
Elected to the seat to succeed Ted Kaufman, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of Joe Biden, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Lisa Blunt Rochester

Senator from Delaware

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester are the senators currently representing Delaware.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Delaware over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Dover, DE

Sarah McBride

District at-large Representative

Democratic Party

Dover, DE is currently represented by Sarah McBride (Democratic Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Dover, DE have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Dover, DE awarded 3,103 degrees. The student population of Dover, DE in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 6,171 male students and 12,131 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Dover, DE are White (1,372 and 45.1%), followed by Black or African American (1,023 and 33.6%), Hispanic or Latino (362 and 11.9%), and Two or More Races (144 and 4.73%).

The largest universities in Dover, DE by number of degrees awarded are Delaware Technical Community College-Terry (1,999 and 64.4%), Delaware State University (929 and 29.9%), and Polytech Adult Education (175 and 5.64%).

The most popular majors in Dover, DE are Registered Nursing (530 and 17.1%), General Studies (194 and 6.25%), and Social Work (137 and 4.42%).

The median tuition cost in Dover, DE for a public four year colleges is $5,807 for in-state students and $14,199 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Dover, DE, the percentage of applicants admitted was 54.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 36.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 18,302 (33.7% men and 66.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 18,302 students enrolled in Dover, DE, 33.7% men and 66.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 7,149 records, of which 68.5% were women and 31.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
351 degrees awarded
General Studies
193 degrees awarded
General Human Services
124 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Dover, DE was Registered Nursing with 351 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Dover, DE according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
1,999 degrees awarded
Delaware State University
929 degrees awarded
Polytech Adult Education
175 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Delaware Technical Community College-Terry with 1,999 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 990 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Dover, DE, which is 0.469 times less than the 2,113 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,372 degrees mean that there were 1.34 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,023 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($5,807) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($845) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

Measure

In 2022, 0.491% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.598% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (239k), Some college (164k), and Bachelors Degree (147k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Dover, DE was $290,600 in 2023, which is 0.958 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $272,300 to $290,600, a 6.72% increase. The homeownership rate in Dover, DE is 71%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Dover, DE have an average commute time of 27 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Dover, DE is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Dover, DE is $72,872. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Dover, DE was New Castle County, DE with a value of $89,901, followed by Sussex County, DE and Kent County, DE, with respective values of $78,162 and $72,872.

Housing

Property

$290,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,081

$49,719

Median Property Taxes

±$1,804

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Dover, DE the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Dover, DE compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71%

Homeownership

2023

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71% of the housing units in Dover, DE were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Dover, DE compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Dover, DE was New Castle County, DE with a value of $89,901, followed by Sussex County, DE and Kent County, DE, with respective values of $78,162 and $72,872.

The following map shows all of the counties in Dover, DE colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,872

Median Household Income

± $1,932

70.1k

Number of Households

± 2,224

In 2023, the median household income of the 70.1k households in Dover, DE grew to $72,872 from the previous year's value of $69,278.

The following chart displays the households in Dover, DE distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Dover, DE is from Delaware.

0.457

2022 Wage GINI in Delaware

0.465

2021 Wage GINI in Delaware

In 2022, the income inequality in Delaware was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.73% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Delaware was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Delaware in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Delaware across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Carpooled (9.19%)
Worked At Home (7.59%)

In 2023, 78.5% of workers in Dover, DE drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.19%) and those who worked at home (7.59%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

27 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dover, DE have a longer commute time (27 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.34% of the workforce in Dover, DE have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Dover, DE compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Dover, DE distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Dover, DE have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dover, DE (20.3k out of 180k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Dover, DE is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93% of the population of Dover, DE has health coverage, with 43.8% on employee plans, 18.8% on Medicaid, 12.5% on Medicare, 14.8% on non-group plans, and 3.2% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Delaware see 1332 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.68% increase from the previous year (1323 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2167 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 323 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Delaware.

1,332 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Delaware

Primary care physicians in Delaware see an average of 1,332 patients per year. This represents a 0.68% increase from the previous year (1,323 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Delaware in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.1% under 18 years, 20.6% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.96%

Uninsured

43.8%

Employer Coverage

18.8%

Medicaid

12.5%

Medicare

14.8%

Non-Group

3.2%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dover, DE grew by 0.633% from 6.92% to 6.96%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Dover, DE changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

MSA

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ

MSA

Ocean City, NJ

MSA