Dover spent less per resident in 2022 than 94% of similar cities
Dover’s town government spent $4,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $39 per resident. Water and other utilities ($5,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Dover is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$39 per resident in 2022: less than 94% of them
Dover’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($39 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 356 Missouri cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $322, and the middle half spent $139–$618. Dover spent less than 94% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Missouri cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Dover itself left out).
About $39 per resident a year, or $0.11 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: parks & libraries, at 25%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Dover reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $963 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.51% of the home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Dover’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Dover’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Dover →
Who’s in charge in Dover
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Lexington R-V School District
Dover’s K–12 school district, shared with Lexington. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,861 per pupil, $7,991 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Missouri districts overall: 54% local, 35% state, 11% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Dover’s votes are counted by county
Missouri reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Dover alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Lafayette County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican73.7%12,720 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat24.9%4,294 votesOthers: 1.4% (234 votes).
Most votes in Lafayette County: Donald J Trump
Missouri: Trump 58.5%, Harris 40.1%
100% of Dover lies in Lafayette County. Every 2024 race in Lafayette County is on the county’s page.
Lafayette County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Dover.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Missouri HouseState representatives
- 3Missouri SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Missouri
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Dover’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Dover’s government
How much does Dover spend per resident?
About $39 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $39 was less than 94% of 356 Missouri cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Dover?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $963 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.51% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Dover’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Dover yet.
How did Dover vote in 2024?
Missouri counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Dover alone. Lafayette County, where 100% of Dover lies, voted Trump 73.7%, Harris 24.9% for president; its page has every race.
Who represents Dover in the state legislature?
State Senate District 21 (Kurtis Gregory) and State House District 53 (Terry Thompson). The House district also covers 17 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Dover’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →