Dover, NH Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Dover, NH Summary

Cost of living in Dover research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dover is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Hampshire, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Dover is 123, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dover is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Dover ranks as the #18 cheapest in New Hampshire out of 26.

  • Dover ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dover is $530,974.

  • The median income in Dover is $92,748.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
123
Dover's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dover, NH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dover has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Hampshire, Dover has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Hampshire's index of 116.

The standard of living in Dover ranks as #18 most affordable out of the 26 places we measured in New Hampshire. By definition, that implies Dover ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Granite State.

For more reading on life in Dover, check out:

18 out of 26
In New Hampshire
4,598 out of 6,489
In America

Dover Cost Of Living Vs. New Hampshire

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dover. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Dover is 122.

  • The Groceries index in Dover is 100.

  • The Health index in Dover is 114.

  • The Housing index in Dover is 142.

  • The Transportation index in Dover is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Dover is 131.

Living Expense Dover New Hampshire National Average
Overall 123 116 100
Services 122 118 100
Groceries 100 103 100
Health 114 114 100
Housing 142 122 100
Transportation 110 110 100
Utilities 131 132 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Hampshire, check out:
Dover Cost of Living Vs. NH

Dover, NH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Hampshire, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dover is $530,974.

  • The Median Rent in Dover is $1,540.

  • The Median Income in Dover is $92,748.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dover is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dover is 0.2x.

Statistic Dover New Hampshire United States
Median Home Value $530,974 $501,649 $303,400
Median Rent $1,540 $1,423 $1,348
Median Income $92,748 $95,628 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.7x 5.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x
$530,974
Median Home Value
$1,540
Median Rent
$92,748
Median Income

Dover, NH Costs By Category

Detailed Dover Services Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Dover New Hampshire
Shampoo $1.25 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $25.44 $18
Haircut $26.58 $24.26
Beauty Salon $67.97 $45.56

Detailed Dover Groceries Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Dover New Hampshire
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.44 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $5.01 $4.93
Pizza $11.66 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Dover Health Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Dover New Hampshire
Optometrist $115.0 $125.68
Doctor $164.0 $135.78
Dentist $136.17 $113.29

Detailed Dover Transportation Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Dover New Hampshire
Gasoline $3.33 $3.46
Tire Balancing $86.0 $59.92

Detailed Dover Utilities Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Dover New Hampshire
All Electricity $294.4 $193.99
Phone $186.72 $192.25

Dover SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
6
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dover

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dover. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Rochester, NH has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Dover.

  • Portsmouth, NH has a cost of living index of 148, 1.2x Dover.

  • Somersworth, NH has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Dover.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dover
Rochester, NH 32,866 113 0.9x
Portsmouth, NH 22,332 148 1.2x
Somersworth, NH 12,060 117 1.0x
Durham, NH 10,577 132 1.1x
Exeter, NH 10,138 122 1.0x
Hampton, NH 9,960 139 1.1x
Newmarket, NH 5,730 127 1.0x
Kittery, ME 5,284 130 1.1x

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