Cost of living in Dover, NJ — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·New Jersey·Dover·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$510,998
Median home value
$2,472/mo
Median rent
144
Cost index (US=100)
+1.4%
Home YoY change

The median home value in Dover, NJ is $510,998 as of 2026-04. That places Dover above the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 144 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in Dover has moved sideways, and over the past five years it has averaged +6.2% annual growth. The current price sits -0.2% from its 5-year peak in 2026-01.

Renters pay a median of $2,472 per month in Dover. Rents have changed — over the last year and averaged — per year over five years.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in Dover are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$510,998
1-year change+1.4%
5-year CAGR+6.2%
10-year CAGR+5.9%
vs 5-year peak-0.2%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How Dover compares

Cost index144 (above US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)+43.9%
Population18,909
Momentum score68 (Rising)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.