States › New Jersey › Dover

Is Dover, NJ expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 34 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,26929% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$79,525about $6,627/month · 9% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$366,70010% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 78% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.6 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $90,760 a year. That is $44 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other New Jersey cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of New Jersey. It is number 149 of 291 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Dover
$2,269
Colonia
$2,259
Preakness
$2,218
Dumont
$2,298
Rutherford
$2,569
Ocean Acres
$2,473
Point Pleasant
$1,934

How much do households earn in Dover?

Under $25k
8.1%
$25k–50k
25.0%
$50k–100k
38.6%
$100k–150k
16.3%
$150k+
7.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 23.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Dover

SizeDoverU.S. average
Studio$1,217$1,338
1 bedroom$1,602$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,059$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,561$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,615$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Dover overall?

Everyday prices in New Jersey overall are 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
134
Goods (food, clothes…)
107
Utilities
114
Other services
104
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Dover, so the New Jersey figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Dover

🏛️ Property tax$7,043a year · 1.92% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$102a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Dover

Commute to work26.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree17.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home46%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line14.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dover?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $275 a month less.

Renting
$2,269
Owning
$2,544

Owning assumes a typical $366,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $36,670 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Dover, NJ?

Renting in Dover costs a median of about $2,269 a month in 2026, including utilities. The New Jersey median is $2,240.

How much do I need to make to live in Dover?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $90,760 a year, or $44 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Dover cheap or expensive?

Dover is rated Expensive: rent takes 34.2% of the typical household income of $79,525. It ranks 149th cheapest of 291 New Jersey cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Dover?

The median homeowner in Dover pays $7,043 a year in property taxes, about 1.92% of the median home value.

Is Dover more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in New Jersey are 9% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Dover?

The median home value in Dover is $366,700, about 4.6 times the typical yearly household income.

18,563 people live in Dover. Numbers are typical (middle) values.