Dover vs Wilmington
Dover, Delaware versus Wilmington, Delaware: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Dover edges out Wilmington on overall objective livability (49 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dover | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $58k |
| Home Value | $223k | $204k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.67% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 6.60% | 7.85% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.35% | 11.12% |
| Unemployment | 8.7% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.6 in | 50.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.2 in | 12.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 219 days | 183 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 42.1 | 49.7 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 83.3 |
| Violent Crime | 3408/100k | 3056/100k |
| Property Crime | 4584/100k | 3381/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 38,879 | 71,034 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.64 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.86 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+38 |
| White (%) | 38.8% | 30.0% |
| Black (%) | 41.0% | 53.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.3% | 11.3% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.7% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 15.0/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 52 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.6% | 83.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 38.84 | 34.21 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dover or Wilmington more affordable?
- Dover has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Dover's $54k and Wilmington's $58k. Median rent is $1k in Dover versus $1k in Wilmington.
- Is Dover or Wilmington safer?
- Wilmington has the lower violent crime rate. Dover reports 3408/100k and Wilmington reports 3056/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dover or Wilmington?
- The median home value is $223k in Dover and $204k in Wilmington, so homes are more affordable in Wilmington.