Photo: MidniteOIL · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Dover is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Dover differs from New Hampshire on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dover. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dover
Dover has a top-rated hospital
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Dover
Dover runs below New Hampshire on four chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.8% vs 6%), COPD (5.2% vs 6.2%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
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 New Hampshire figure falls outside Dover’s likely range.
What’s behind Dover’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #33 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 61%.
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 $94,829; among the 9,316 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$119K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Most New Hampshire towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Dover is healthier than 74% of graded towns, against 91% nationally.
Care in and near Dover
1 hospital 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.
Out of every 100 Dover adults…
Dover runs below NH on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
33 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Dover adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Dover adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 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.
6.1% of Dover adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Dover and the towns around it
Dover’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 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 | A | 31.8% | 7.9% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Rollinsford | A | 33.2% | 8.8% | 10.8% | ZIP codes |
| Newington | — | — | — | — | |
| Madbury | A | 31.5% | 8.3% | 9% | ZIP 03823 |
| Somersworth | B+ | 34.6% | 9.5% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Rochester | B+ | 35.1% | 10.2% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Newington: fewer than 1,000 residents. 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 (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory 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 New Hampshire on 10 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Hampshire 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 | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%11.1–14.4 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 11.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.3 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27.3–36.7 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.8%27.1–32.8 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%31–37.2 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%22.8–27.5 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.9–9.4 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.6–5.9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.9–10.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.7%15.1–20.6 | 20.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.3–19.7 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%25.7–34 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%73.7–80.1 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%66.8–72.8 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.2–88.7 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.2%69.2–75 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%65.1–72.8 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%73.7–84 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.5–28.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29.8–37 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%19.3–24.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.5–10.4 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.6–6.2 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.1%5–7.3 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.7%20.9–26.7 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.9–10.4 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10–12.8 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%3–3.7 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5.3–6.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 New Hampshire 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 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #33 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. 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 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 36.7%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dover?
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Dover’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dover have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.4%), against 6.8% across New Hampshire.
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 A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dover.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire 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.