Dover, DE Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Dover, DE Crime & Safety

Is Dover, DE safe to live in?

Dover carries an overall crime grade of D+ at the city level, yet its neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown tells a more nuanced story. Of the 9 neighborhoods analyzed for 2026, 55.6% earned an A grade, 11.1% earned a B grade, and 22.2% landed in the C range — meaning roughly 67% of Dover neighborhoods are rated B or better, qualifying them as "safe" by our methodology. Only 11% of neighborhoods — specifically Downtown Dover (Grade D) — fall into the higher-concern tier. No neighborhood received an F. For families considering a move, areas like Highland Acres (Grade A, median income $101,048) and Rising Sun-Lebanon (Grade A-, median income $85,304) represent Dover's safest, most established communities.

What is the crime rate in Dover, Delaware?

Rather than a single number, Dover's crime picture is best understood through its letter-grade distribution across 9 analyzed neighborhoods. The breakdown for 2026 is: 5 neighborhoods at Grade A (55.6%), 1 at Grade B+ (11.1%), 2 at Grade C (22.2%), and 1 at Grade D (11.1%). The city's overall grade is D+, which reflects the drag from higher-crime pockets — particularly Downtown Dover — on the citywide average. Socioeconomic context matters here: Dover's unemployment rate sits at 8.5% and its poverty rate at 21.9%, both of which are associated with elevated property and opportunistic crime in urban cores. The median household income of $48,500 and median home value of $180,262 round out the picture of a city with real economic disparities between its neighborhoods.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Dover, DE?

Based on 2026 crime data, the top-rated neighborhoods in Dover are:

1. Eagle Heights at Dover — Grade A: A smaller community of about 1,598 residents with a median household income of $61,340. Its low population density contributes to minimal crime activity.
2. Highland Acres — Grade A: Dover's highest-income neighborhood at a median of $101,048 across 3,051 residents. Consistently one of the city's safest areas.
3. Rising Sun-Lebanon — Grade A-: Home to nearly 3,969 residents and a median income of $85,304, this neighborhood combines size with strong safety metrics.
4. Rodney Village — Grade A-: A tighter-knit community of 1,375 with a median income of $73,371, offering low crime rates and residential stability.
5. Cheswold — Grade A-: The smallest top-ranked area at 950 residents, with a median income of $64,335 and an A- safety grade.

Together, these five neighborhoods account for 55.6% of all analyzed areas and represent the strongest safety options for prospective residents. Kent Acres (Grade B+, median income $83,018) is also a strong choice just outside the top tier.

Which parts of Dover have higher crime?

The single neighborhood earning a Grade D in Dover is Downtown Dover, home to 2,093 residents and carrying the city's lowest median household income at just $36,848 — roughly $64,000 below Highland Acres. Downtown Dover's combination of higher population density, lower income levels, and proximity to commercial corridors contributes to elevated incident rates relative to the rest of the city. Bicentennial Village (Grade C, population 3,407, median income $56,931) and Little Creek (Grade C, population 52) represent the mid-tier concern areas. Importantly, no Dover neighborhood received an F grade, which distinguishes Dover from higher-crime Delaware cities. Visitors and residents in Downtown Dover should exercise standard urban precautions — securing vehicles, staying aware of surroundings, and reporting suspicious activity to the Dover Police Department.

Is Dover a good place to buy a home?

Dover offers a median home value of $180,262 and a median rent of $1,066, making it one of the more affordable capital cities on the East Coast. From a safety-investment perspective, 67% of analyzed neighborhoods carry A or B grades, and neighborhoods like Highland Acres (Grade A, median income $101,048) and Kent Acres (Grade B+, median income $83,018) combine strong safety ratings with stable property values. The city's 8.5% unemployment rate and 21.9% poverty rate are worth factoring in, as they create pockets of economic stress — most visibly in Downtown Dover (Grade D) — that can affect neighborhood trajectories. For buyers prioritizing safety, the northwest and suburban corridors anchored by Rising Sun-Lebanon and Rodney Village (both Grade A-) offer the best balance of affordability and low crime risk based on 2026 data.

How does Dover's safety compare across its neighborhoods?

The gap between Dover's safest and least-safe neighborhoods is significant. Highland Acres (Grade A) has a median income nearly three times higher than Downtown Dover (Grade D) — $101,048 versus $36,848. This income disparity closely tracks the crime grade disparity. Of Dover's 9 analyzed neighborhoods, the grade distribution breaks down as: A grades: 55.6% | B grades: 11.1% | C grades: 22.2% | D grades: 11.1% | F grades: 0%. The city-wide safety rating is classified as Safe (B) when neighborhood populations are weighted, meaning the majority of Dover's roughly 125,931 residents live in areas with manageable crime levels. The concentration of higher-risk activity in the Downtown core — rather than spread across the city — is a key finding for 2026 and suggests targeted community investment could meaningfully improve overall city scores.