Dover was founded as the court town for newly establishedKent County in 1683 byWilliam Penn, the proprietor of the territory generally known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware." Later, in 1717, the city was officially laid out by a special commission of theDelaware General Assembly. The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here fromNew Castle in 1777 because of its central location and relative safety from British raiders on theDelaware River. Because of an act passed in October 1779, the assembly elected to meet at any place in the state they saw fit, meeting successively inWilmington,Lewes, Dover, New Castle, and Lewes again, until it finally settled down permanently in Dover in October 1781.[4] The city's central square, known asThe Green, was the location of many rallies, troop reviews, and other patriotic events. To this day, The Green remains the heart of Dover's historic district and is the location of theDelaware Supreme Court and the Kent County Courthouse.
Dover was most famously the home ofCaesar Rodney, the popular wartime leader of Delaware during theAmerican Revolution. He is known to have been buried outside Dover, but the precise location of his grave is unknown. Acenotaph in his honor is erected in the cemetery of the Christ Episcopal Church[5] near The Green in Dover.
Christ Church entrance and bell tower in Dover
Dover and Kent County were deeply divided over the issue ofslavery, and the city was a "stop" on theUnderground Railroad because of its proximity to slave-holdingMaryland and freePennsylvania andNew Jersey. It was also home to a largeQuaker community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early 19th century. There were very few slaves in the area, but the institution was supported, if not practiced, by a small majority, who saw to its continuation.
On August 4, 2020,Hurricane Isaias produced anEF2 tornado that struck the city. Trees were significantly damaged, including some that fell on homes, roofing was blown off a middle school, a warehouse had metal walls torn off, some tractor trailers were blown over and a garage was severely damaged. Damage in Dover was rated EF1. The tornado would be on the ground for tracked 35.78 miles (57.58 km), becoming the longest-tracked tornado in the state, but there were no casualties.[7][8]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (59 km2), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 1.32%, is water.
Dover has a warmtemperate climate orhumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa). Summers are hot and humid, with 25 days per year reaching or surpassing 90 °F (32 °C).[9] Brief, but heavy summer thunderstorms are common. Winters are moderated by theDelaware Bay and the partial shielding of theAppalachians, though there are normally 8−9 days when the daily high remains below freezing and 15 nights with lows below 20 °F (−7 °C).[10] Snow is typically light and sporadic, averaging only 13.2 inches (34 cm) per year, and does not usually remain on the ground for long.[9] Thehardiness zone is 7b. Spring and autumn provide transitions of reasonable length and are similar, though spring is wetter. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 36.0 °F (2.2 °C) in January to 77.9 °F (25.5 °C) in July. The annual total precipitation of around 47.61 inches (1,209.3 mm) is spread rather evenly year-round.
Climate data for Dover, Delaware (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
In 2010,[13] Dover had a population of 36,047 people. During thecensus of 2000,[13] there were 32,135 people, 12,340 households, and 7,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,435.0 inhabitants per square mile (554.1/km2). There were 13,195 housing units at an average density of 589.2 per square mile (227.5/km2). According to the2020 United States census, its population grew to 39,403 people.
In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 48.3%White, 42.2%African American, 2.7%Asian, 0.5%Native American, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 2.1% fromother races, and 4.1% from two or more races; 6.6% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 54.9% White, 37.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.2% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races; 4.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2021, theAmerican Community Survey estimated its racial makeup was 41.5%non-Hispanic white, 40.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 9.7% two or more races, and 8.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[14]
As of 2000, there were 12,340 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city of Dover the age distribution of the population shows 23.5% under the age of 18, 15.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $38,669, and the median income for a family was $48,338. Males had a median income of $34,824 versus $26,061 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $19,445. About 11.5% of families and 13.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. In 2021, the median household income for a household in the city was $51,073 (~$59,264 in 2024) and 20.5% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.
Delaware's largest employer is also Dover's: the state government. A large portion, but not all, of the state's bureaucracy is in and around Dover.Wilmington, in northern Delaware and the state's largest city, has many state offices and employees one might expect to find in the state capital, including the headquarters of the Office of theAttorney General, especially as many large Americancorporations maintain nominal offices in that city to register theirDelaware corporation.
Dover is one of the fastest-growing areas in Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As a consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers includeDover Air Force Base, in the southeast corporate limits of the city. The base houses two airlift wings as well as the U.S. military's onlymortuary in the continental U.S., which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition,Kraft Foods andProcter & Gamble have manufacturing facilities in Dover. Kraft Foods' Dover plant has been the plant that manufacturesJell-O since 1964, when it relocated fromLeRoy, New York. The P&G plant makesPampers Baby Fresh wipes.ILC Dover, in nearbyFrederica, produces fabrics for military and aerospace uses and is the primary contractor for production of theApollo andSkylab spacesuits, as well as the spacesuit assembly for theSpace Shuttle'sExtravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). Several local and national retailers and restaurants line US 13 through Dover, with theDover Mall situated along this corridor and serving as the area's only shopping mall.
One weekend a year in the spring,NASCAR races are held atDover Motor Speedway, attracting about 65,000 spectators. Attendance at the races is much lower than in the 1990s and 2000s, when 140,000 spectators sometimes came. The races bring in increased patronage for local businesses, and hotels and motels sell out weeks in advance. Many race fans camp in RVs and tents adjacent to the track.[15] These races, and in recent years adjacentslot machine gambling atBally's Dover, contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy.
Firefly Music Festival has been held in the Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway every summer since 2012.[16]
Dover Academy, which incorporated in 1810, was a private school. On April 14, 1919, theDelaware General Assembly created the Dover Special School District. The Delaware State Board of Education counted Dover'ssegregated school for black children as its own school district in minutes recorded during the 1919-1920 school year. The Dover special school district merged into the Capital School District on July 1, 1969.[20]
The former Dover Opera House, built in 1904, was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts,[21] which hosted performances by the Dover Symphony Orchestra,[22] ballet, and classic films. The Schwartz Center for the Arts closed on June 30, 2017, due to financial issues.[23]
The Kent County Theatre Guild[24] was founded in 1953 and presents a five-show season at the organization's theater, the Patchwork Playhouse. It is run solely by volunteers, who handle everything from governance and building maintenance to set construction, acting and directing. It is open to anyone interested in participating in or learning about live theater.
Dover is also home to The Children's Theatre, Inc. of Dover and Kent County,[25] a non-profit organization.
The Delaware State Library, theDelaware State Museum, and the Delaware State Archives are in downtown Dover and are open to the public for research and browsing.
In Dover's historical district is the Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art,[26] featuring collections from the Colonial days to the present.
AnAmish community resides to the west of Dover, consisting of 11 church districts and about 1,650 people. The Amish first settled in Kent County in 1915, with the settlement almost dying out in the '20s and '30s, but rebounding from the 60's to present. The area is home to several Amish businesses selling items such as Amish food, furniture, quilts, and handmade crafts. Every September, theAmish Country Bike Tour, the largest bike ride in Delaware, takes place in the area. In recent years, increasing development has led to the decline in the number of Amish living in the community, with some moving to areas with cheaper farmland and less traffic, such as Michigan, Upstate New York, Illinois, Kentucky, and southern Virginia.[27][28][29]
The City of Dover Parks & Recreation Department maintains several parks in the city, consisting of three larger parks and 27 smaller parks.Silver Lake Park is a 182-acre park located alongSilver Lake and offers fishing, boating, a walking/jogging path that provides views of the lake, a playground, benches, and pavilions. Schutte Park offers a variety of athletic facilities including 10 multipurpose fields, four lighted softball fields, a pavilion, a playground, a cross country course, waking paths, the Dover Little League baseball fields, and the John W. Pitts Recreation Center. The recreation center at Schutte Park has meeting rooms, a gym with two basketball courts and three volleyball courts, and an indoor walking track; it is home to a variety of fitness classes, sports, and sport leagues. Dover Park offers three tennis courts, a softball field, multipurpose field, two basketball courts, a disc golf course, and two pavilions. Dover is home to several smaller neighborhood parks including City Hall Plaza, Continental Park, Crossgates Park, Division & Kirkwood Streets Park, Kirkwood & Mary Streets Park, Hamlet, Heatherfield East, Mallard Pond, Mayfair Park, Millcreek Park, New & Dover Streets Park, Orville Myers, Paul's Property, Richardson Park, Saulsbury Park, The Green, Turner Drive, Westfield, Westwind Meadows, Williams Park, and Woodbrook.[30]
Kent County is within thePhiladelphia television market, with the localXfinity cable system carrying most channels from that city, alongsideSalisbury stationsWBOC-TV 16 (CBS),WMDT 47 (ABC),WCPB 28 (PBS), and low-poweredNBC affiliateWRDE-LD 31.[31] WBOC-TV maintains a bureau in Dover, andWHYY-TV 12, the PBS member station in Philadelphia, maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover. WHYY programming is seen locally on WDPB-TV channel 64 fromSeaford (part of the Salisbury television market).
WDDE,[32] Delaware's firstNPR station, launched in August 2012. It broadcasts on 91.1 FM. Delaware was the last state in the nation to have an NPR station located within its borders.
For one week during the middle of July every year, Dover also hosts the Big League (Little League 16–18) Eastern Regionals, attracting teams from all of New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
There are severalgolf courses located near Dover. They include the Maple Dale Country Club[33] in Dover, Wild Quail Country Club[34] near Camden, Jonathan's Landing Golf Course[35] near Magnolia, Dover Center Par 3 and Driving Range in Dover, and the Eagle Creek Golf Course (Must have military I.D.) on the Dover Air Force Base.
Dover is governed via thecouncil-manager system with an elected mayor, currentlyRobin R. Christiansen since 2014. The council consists of nine members, eight of whom are elected from four districts with each district having two members. One member of the council is elected at large. Municipal elections, which arenonpartisan, are held on the third Tuesday in April in odd-numbered years. The mayor is elected directly by the city voters for a four-year term. City council members are elected to staggered four-year terms.[37]
The Dover Police Department provides police services to the city of Dover. The police department is led by a Chief of Police, currently Thomas Johnson, and consists of 101 officers, responding to 43,000 calls a year.[38] The Dover Police Department is composed of several sworn police units along with civilian units.[39] Fire protection in Dover is provided by the Dover Fire Department, avolunteer fire department which has served the city since 1882 and operates two stations in Dover. Station 1 is the department's headquarters and houses Engines 4, 6, and 7; Ladder 2; Rescue 1; Brush 9; and Marine 1. The Dover Fire Department Museum is also located at the headquarters. Station 2 houses Engines 2 and 3; Ladder 1; Utility 1; and the foam trailer.[40] Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department.
Federally, Dover is part ofDelaware's at-large congressional district, represented by DemocratSarah McBride, elected in 2024. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is DemocratChris Coons, first elected in 2010. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is DemocratLisa Blunt Rochester, elected in 2024. The governor of Delaware is DemocratMatt Meyer, elected in 2024.
The most prominent highway serving Dover is theDelaware Route 1 toll road, which is the main route toWilmington and theDelaware Beaches. It passes east of downtown, with the toll portion ending near theDover Air Force Base and DE 1 continuing south on Bay Road.U.S. Route 113 formerly ran along Bay Road fromMilford to US 13 near the State Capitol Complex, but was decommissioned north of Milford in 2004 to avoid the concurrency with DE 1 between the Dover Air Force Base and Milford.
US 13 northbound on Dupont Highway in Dover
The main north–south highway through central Dover isU.S. Route 13, which runs through the main commercial strip of Dover on the multi-lane, divided Dupont Highway. An alternate route of U.S. Route 13,U.S. Route 13 Alternate, passes through downtown Dover on Governors Avenue.Delaware Route 8 is the main east–west route through Dover, passing through downtown on Division Street and West Dover on Forrest Avenue. It continues west towardMaryland to provide access to theChesapeake Bay Bridge.Delaware Route 15 passes north–south through the western part of Dover along Hazlettville Road, West North Street, Saulsbury Road, and McKee Road.[41] Dover is one of only four state capitals not served by anInterstate highway.Pierre, South Dakota;Jefferson City, Missouri; andJuneau, Alaska are the other three state capitals with this distinction.[42]
Parking in the downtown area of Dover consists of free on-street two-hour parking and five off-street parking lots offering a total of 440 spaces. Parking lots in downtown Dover contain a mix of permit parking,parking meters, and free two-hour, 15-minute, and handicapped parking spaces along with spaces reserved for tenants and apartments. Parking is free on evenings and weekends.[43][44]
DART First State provides local bus service throughout Dover and Kent County, radiating as ahub-and-spoke system from theDover Transit Center in downtown. They also provide inter-county service to Wilmington on the Route 301,Middletown on the Route 302,Georgetown on the Route 303, andLewes on the Route 307 and seasonal service to Lewes on the Route 305 "Beach Connection".[47]
The city of Dover provides various utility services to businesses and residents. The Department of Public Works provides trash collection, recycling,[49] water, and sewer service to the city.Republic Services provides recycling collection under contract to the city.[50] The City of Dover Electric Department provides electricity to the city and some surrounding areas to the south and east, including the town ofLittle Creek. The city's electric department is a member of theDelaware Municipal Electric Corporation, a wholesale electric utility that represents municipal electric departments in the state of Delaware.[51] The City of Dover Electric Department generates some of its electricity from the Van Sant Generating Station, which consists of onenatural gas-powered unit that is used on a limited basis.[52] The city also generates electricity fromsolar power at the Dover SUN Park, a 10 MW solar power farm on 103 acres at the Garrison Oak technology park owned bySunPower.[53] The remainder of the city's electricity is purchased.[52] Natural gas service in Dover is provided byChesapeake Utilities.[54]
^Delaware Event Report: EF2 Tornado.National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. RetrievedApril 14, 2021.
^Delaware Event Report: EF2 Tornado.National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. RetrievedApril 14, 2021.
^abc"Station: Dover, DE".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived fromthe original on August 6, 2023. RetrievedJune 18, 2021.
^Capital School District(PDF) (Map). Delaware Department of Elections. March 2013.Archived(PDF) from the original on May 28, 2019. RetrievedJune 3, 2018.
^Caesar Rodney School District(PDF) (Map). Delaware Department of Elections. March 2013.Archived(PDF) from the original on May 28, 2019. RetrievedJune 3, 2018.
^"schwartzcenter.com". schwartzcenter.com.Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. RetrievedNovember 14, 2011.
^"doversymphony.org". doversymphony.org. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011. RetrievedNovember 14, 2011.
^Dawson, Ashley and Craig Horleman (June 8, 2017)."Curtain falls on Schwartz Center".Delaware State News. Dover, DE.Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. RetrievedAugust 14, 2017.
^"biggsmuseum.org". biggsmuseum.org.Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. RetrievedNovember 14, 2011.
^"Amish Population, 2018".Elizabethtown College, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. August 7, 2018. Archived fromthe original on February 5, 2019. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2019.
^"Amish Countryside". Kent County & Greater Dover, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau. Archived fromthe original on November 23, 2016. RetrievedNovember 22, 2016.
^"Parking Downtown". Downtown Dover Partnership.Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. RetrievedAugust 22, 2018.
^Public Parking Plan(PDF) (Map). Downtown Dover Partnership. February 7, 2014.Archived(PDF) from the original on October 20, 2016. RetrievedAugust 22, 2018.
Core cities are metropolitan core cities of at least a million people. The other areas are urban areas of cities that have an urban area of 150,000+ or of a metropolitan area of at least 250,000+. Satellite cities are in italics.
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