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By Geography >> City/Town >> Dover

 Dover, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact City of Dover
Jerrica Bizier
288 Central Avenue
  Dover, NH 03820-4169
 
Telephone (603) 516-6012
Fax (603) 516-6666
E-mail j.bizier@dover.nh.gov
Web Site www.dover.nh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours City Hall, City Manager, City Clerk and Tax Collection Office: Monday to Thursday, 8:30-5:30, Friday, 8:30-4
 
County Strafford County
Labor Market Area Rockingham County-Strafford County, NH Metropolitan Division
Tourism Region Seacoast Region
Planning Commission Strafford Regional Planning
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 1 (All Wards)
Executive Council District 1
State Senate District 4 (All Wards)
State Representative Strafford County Districts 11 (Ward 4), 13 (Ward 6), 14 (Ward 1), 15 (Ward 2), 16 (Ward 3), 17 (Ward 5), 20 (Ward 4), 21 (Wards 1-3, 5, 6)
Incorporated: 1623
 
Origin: For the first fifty years of New Hampshire history, Dover was one of only three communities established in what is now New Hampshire. Settled in 1623 on the banks of the Piscataqua River, Dover was first called Hilton's Point, named after Edward Hilton, who procured for himself the ""Dover and Squamscot Patent"" in 1629. The town was also known by the Indian names of Newichwannock (place of wigwams) and Cocheco; and briefly called Bristol and North-ham before permanently becoming Dover. The settlement was an independent government until 1641, when residents agreed to be annexed to Massachusetts; the town returned to New Hampshire when provincial status was restored by King George II in 1741. Dover's location on the Piscataqua and Cocheco Rivers made it a thriving center of trading and manufacturing. Dover was incorporated as a city in 1855.
 
Villages and Place Names: Bellamy, Cocheco, Gates Corner, Sawyers, Wentworth Terrace
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1998 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Dover totaled 11,908 over 50 years, from 20,850 in 1970 to 32,758 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 14 percent increase from 1980 to 1990. The city's population increased by nine percent from 2010 to 2020. The 2023 Census estimate for Dover was 33,485 residents, which ranked sixth among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 1,254.1 persons per square mile of land area. Dover contains 26.7 square miles of land area and 2.3 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Manager & Council
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2025 $55,648,201
Budget:School Appropriations,2025 $78,420,675
Zoning Ordinance 1948/21
Master Plan 2023
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: City Council
    Appointed: Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Library; Cemetery; Recreation; Ethics; Open Lands; Arts; Transportation; Pool
 
Public Library Dover Public



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Wentworth-Douglass, Dover Local   173


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier Unitil
Water Supplier City of Dover
 
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup Municipal
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program Yes
    Recycling Program Voluntary
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $18.70
2023 Equalization Ratio 89.5
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.14
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 71.7%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 26.5%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 1.8%

 
Housing (ACS 2019-2023)
Total Housing Units 15,439
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 7,455
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 2,786
    Five or More Units in Structure 4,765
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 433




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 33,485   133,608
   2020 32,758   130,889
   2010 30,032   123,143
   2000 27,011   112,233
   1990 25,420   104,233
   1980 22,377   85,408

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2019-2023)
Population by Gender
Male   16,339 Female   16,731
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 1,587
      Age 5 to 19 4,228
      Age 20 to 34 9,573
      Age 35 to 54 8,066
      Age 55 to 64 3,933
      Age 65 and over 5,683
            Median Age 37.6 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 23,813
      High school graduation or higher 96.3%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 49.2%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2019-2023)
Per Capita Income $52,228
Median Family Income $133,731
Median Household Income $92,748
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $75,160
      Female $63,640
 
Individuals below poverty level 8.1%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 17,600   20,356
    Employed 16,846   19,990
    Unemploymed 754   366
    Unemployment rate 4.3%   1.8%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  1,325  1,479
    Average Weekly Wage  $901  $1,238
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  13,594  13,769
    Average Weekly Wage  $1,041  $1,350
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  14,920  15,248
    Average Weekly Wage  $1,029  $1,339
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  1,747  1,797
    Average Weekly Wage  $793  $1,118
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  16,666  17,045
    Average Weekly Wage  $1,004  $1,316
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Dover operates grades K-12 District: SAU 11
Career Technology Center: Dover Career Technical Center; R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Ctr.; Somersworth Career Technical Center
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 4 1 1 4
Grade Levels P K 1-8 5-8 9-12 P K 1-12
Total Enrollment 1,378 1,103 1,387 1,250
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest College or Universities: University of NH

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     19   Capacity:     1,263

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Health care services 2620
Lincoln Financial Group Financial services 1011
Strafford County County government services 474
Dover Schools/Sau 11 Education 471
Community Partners Counseling & mental health services 360
City of Dover Municipal services 275
Stonewall Kitchen Distribution center 150
Vishay HiRrel Systems Custom magnetics 104
United Parcel Services Shipping services 95
Forward Merch/JSR Brand merchandise 91
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes: 4
State Routes: 4, 9, 16, 16A, 16B, 108, 155
Nearest Interstate/Exit: Spaulding Tpk., Exits 6-9; I-95, Exit 5
Distance: Local access; 10 miles
 
Railroad Amtrak Downeaster; CSX Rail
Public Transportation COAST; Wildcat Transit
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Skyhaven, Rochester Runway  4,200 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   43 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 39 miles
    Portland, Maine 50 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 65 miles
    New York City, New York 272 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 285 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2019-2023)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 75.8%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 4.6%
  Used Public Transportation: 2.2%
  Walked: 1.8%
  Traveled by other means: 0.9%
  Worked at home: 14.7%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 23.1 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 39.7%
Commute to other NH community: 49.6%
Commute out-of-state: 10.7%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
X Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
X Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
X Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
X Bowling Facilities
X Museums
X Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
X Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Gunstock
 
Other: Woodman Museum; Bellamy River Sanctuary; Hilton Park