The Town FilesDover, Pennsylvania
Township in York County · population 22,366 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $234,500
- Household income
- $81,452
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 45.0
Dover is a township of 22,366 people in York County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $234,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of Pennsylvania towns, easier by car than 78% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Dover ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dover is worth $234,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $81,452, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,402 a month. 85.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dover | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,402 | $996 |
| Median household income | $81,452 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dover
| People | Dover | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 89.0% |
Weather in Dover
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dover since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 7, 1980 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 9, 1980.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 182,614 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,427 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Dover itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Dover
1 public school with 370 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Salem El Sch | K-5 | 370 | 12.8 |
Towns near Dover
- Weigelstown, PA2.5 mi · 15,136 people · home $219,500
- Shiloh, PA4.7 mi · 11,524 people · home $245,600
- Warrington, PA5.4 mi · 4,552 people · home $276,300
- West Manchester, PA5.7 mi · 19,206 people · home $239,000
- Conewago, PA5.9 mi · 8,528 people · home $300,200
- Washington, PA6.0 mi · 2,573 people · home $309,600
- Manchester, PA6.1 mi · 19,515 people · home $280,000
- Jackson, PA6.4 mi · 8,748 people · home $247,700
Dover questions
Is Dover, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dover scores better for retirees than 29% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 38%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Dover?
The median owner-occupied home in Dover is valued at $234,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,452, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,402 a month.
What is the weather like in Dover?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.
Does Dover get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dover since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 7, 1980. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)