Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Dover is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Dover differs from Delaware on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dover. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dover
Mental distress runs high in Dover
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.6%), vs 15.4% across Delaware. Loneliness is above the state too: 37.8%, vs 31.7% across Delaware. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Dover
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.2%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Utility shut-off threats (11.5% vs 7.4%) and no reliable transportation (11.8% vs 7.7%) are higher too. 20.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Dover
56.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across Delaware. Among those 65 and older, 19.2% have lost all their teeth (Delaware 12.7%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Delaware figure falls outside Dover’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Dover’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #33 of 37 in Delaware. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 59% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 4%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Dover’s median household income is $60,199; among the 8,968 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 28%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Dover compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
How Dover adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Dover runs above Delaware.
2 in 5 Dover adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.2% of Dover adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Keeping up with care
Share of Dover adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Out of every 100 Dover adults…
Dover runs below DE on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dover
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Dover, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Dover; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Delaware
Share of adults, with the Delaware figure marked.
5.6 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves
Dover and the towns around it
Dover’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | C− | 44.8% | 14.5% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Kent Acres | C | 43.4% | 15% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Rodney Village | D | 47.8% | 16.7% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Dover Base Housing | B+ | 39.4% | 5.5% | 10.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dover adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dover
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dover is better than Delaware on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Dover’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dover | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.3%20.8–25.8 | 18.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.2–16.5 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.5–21.9 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.8%38.6–51.4 | 35.3% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.5%12.9–16.2 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.8%35.5–42.4 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%33.2–40.3 | 41.2% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 27%24.5–29.8 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.4%11.9–15 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 6.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.2%16.1–22.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12–15.8 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.7%29.5–38.2 | 27.2% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.4%10.4–14.7 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.1%37.7–48.5 | 35.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%9.2–12.3 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%78.8–84.8 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%52.2–60 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.5–85.5 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.7%73.4–77.9 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%60.9–69.5 | 67.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%67.2–79.8 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.8–26.5 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%34–42.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%22–28.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.2%19–23.8 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.6%15.7–19.9 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%10.2–13.1 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.2%17.8–22.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%33.6–41.6 | 30.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.3%15.5–19.1 | 14.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15–18.8 | 13% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 6.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%6–7.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.5–11.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Delaware figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Dover
Is Dover a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #33 of 37 in Delaware. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dover?
CDC estimates 44.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.6% and 51.4%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dover?
Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus in Dover, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Dover’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dover have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–12.3%), against 9% across Delaware.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Dover more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dover.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Delaware figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.