Dover proudly holds the title of Capital of the First State, being the capital of Delaware, the first of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution in 1787. In fact, the Constitution was signed on The Green, a historic area in Downtown Dover with museums, shoppes and festivals that celebrate the city’s Colonial heritage. This downtown area is centrally located in Dover, surrounded by commercial sections with trendy and locally adored eateries and suburban communities with park spaces and affordable homes. Dover’s housing market is actually one of the least expensive in the state. “I think it’s on the verge of greatness,” says Todd Stonesifer, a Downtown Dover local and Realtor with The Moving Experience. “And now’s the time to buy before prices become ocean-front property.” While not on the ocean, residents are about 45 miles from Rehoboth Beach, a popular summer destination on the Atlantic. “It’s about an hour’s drive, so you can easily take a day trip,” says Steve Schmidt, Broker/Owner with RE/MAX Horizons and lifetime local of Dover’s Highland Acres neighborhood.
U.S. Route 13 and Delaware State Route 1 zip north to south through the city, allowing for a 50-mile commute to Wilmington, 80-mile commute to Philadelphia and about a 95-mile commute to Washington, D.C. Being home to around 40,000 residents, Dover’s major employers include state and county governments and Dover Air Force Base, which takes up the southeastern part of the city. And the Dover Motor Speedway, located to the north, hosts international NASCAR races.
Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover is the capital building for the state of Delaware.
Rail Haus has created a haven for craft beer enthusiasts in Downtown Dover.
Rehoboth Beach is only one hour from Kent Acres, DE.
There are numerous craft vendors set up for the Peach Festival in Dover.
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Dover Days at The Green and summers at Silver Lake Park
The First State Heritage Park is home to The Green, where the Constitution was signed in December of 1787. The area’s undeniable historic presence and legacy extends beyond the central grassy area, which is about two blocks by two blocks in size. The buildings that surround this space illuminate the city’s heritage. One such building is the Old State House, built in 1791, that served as Delaware’s capitol building until 1933. Today, it serves as a free, open-to-public history museum. Golden Fleece Tavern was built in the 1730s and hosted Revolutionary gatherings over beverages in the days of old and still stood as a bar until it recently became a historical landmark. Biggs Museum of American Art features antique furniture and more modern-day art exhibits. Delaware Shoppes are a series of boutiques that offer historic souvenirs and unique art pieces specific to its vintage location. “There’s a major revitalization movement in the downtown area that will bring more residents to Downtown Dover,” Stonesifer adds. “It will have a big effect on businesses around The Green.” The Green hosts Dover Days each May, a highly-anticipated Colonial-themed festival. This longstanding 92-year event brings the community together in 1700s garb to celebrate Dover’s culture through music, food, fireworks and horse-and-buggy rides.
Just north of downtown, Silver Lake Park offers 182 acres of walking trails along the St. Jones River, a playground and a boat ramp into the Silver Lake. “We don’t allow swimming in Silver Lake, but we do allow fishing and boating for motorboats up to 18-feet long with a max horsepower of 115,” says Carolyn Courtney with the City of Dover Parks and Recreation department. “And on the east side of town, Dover Park is one of my favorite parks. It’s undergoing some major renovations like a small spray pad and a handicap accessible playground.” This park also features athletic fields and courts. On the south side of Dover, Brecknock County Park also has athletic fields, as well as a castle-themed wooden playground coined Picadilly Castle. To the west, Schutte Park hosts the city’s Little League teams and provides wooded walking trails. Also located on the west side of Dover, Maple Dale Country Club is a semi-private golf club with an 18-hole fairway and outdoor pool.
A guide welcomes visitors to The Old State House in Dover near Bicentennial Village.
Catch perch and herring at Silver Run Park.
Work on your game at the basketball courts in Dover Park.
Bicentennial Village folks can enjoy 18 holes at Maple Dale Country Club.
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Revitalization projects in Downtown Dover and suburbs with Colonial-style homes
Housing variety in Dover ranges from quaint Traditional-style townhomes to spacious Colonial- and Craftsman-inspired properties. The median price for a townhome is $305,000, while the median price for a single-family home is $330,000. Houses typically sell about a month after being placed on the market.
Popular neighborhoods in Dover include Downtown Dover, which is the city’s most historic district. “We have a program called Downtown Development District, which subsidizes properties through a nonprofit that gets money from the state and then is required to sell the property to an owner-occupant,” Stonesifer says. In addition to affordable housing programs like this, the area is also seeing retail revitalization projects. Edgehill and White Oak Farms are neighborhoods located near the commercial sector of Route 13, which is more populated to the north of Downtown Dover. Highland Acres features larger housing options, and Bicentennial Village and Mayfair are both known to be family-friendly, suburban communities. “You can find your forever home here and raise your family,” says Steve Schmidt, Broker/Owner with RE/MAX Horizons who has lived in the Highland Acres area his whole life. “I’ve been in my current house for 30-something years. People stay here.”
Charming Bungalow homes sit on quiet residential streets in Downtown Dover.
Beautiful Victorian style homes can be found all along N State St in Downtown Dover.
Loganberry Village is a new development in Woodside East with new townhomes.
Residents take pride in their home's facades in Edgehill.
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Commercial corridor featuring Dover Speedway and Bally's Dover
Dining and retail in Dover are predominantly found all along U.S. Route 13, beginning with the Dover Mall area to the north that features department stores like Boscov’s and JCPenney. Up and down the highway, there are a variety of grocery stores, including Sam’s Club, fast food eateries, hotels, Target and Walmart. “This commercial corridor has taken on an evolution where it’s mostly all chain restaurants,” Stonesifer says. “But there are still a few mom-and-pops.” The southern half of Dover, divided by Division Street, is home to a few local cafes, pubs and other popular establishments. Bayhealth Hospital is also located in this southern downtown area, the only general hospital serving the city.
The northern end of Dover brings in visitors from all over the country. Dover International Speedway hosts two NASCAR races that are part of the premier league. Race enthusiasts know they’ve arrived when they see Miles the Monster, a 46-foot statue. This monster, made of steel and fiberglass, is death-gripping an actual racecar while its red eyes stare into the souls of onlookers. Next to the racetrack, Bally’s Dover – formerly called Dover Downs – is a casino resort with shopping, dining and luxury suites.
Dover Motor Speedway just outside of Towne Point brings in NASCAR fans to the area.
Shop at over 75 of your favorite retail stores inside of the Dover Mall.
Route 13 in Dover is home to an assortment of popular retail stores such as Target.
Try your luck at the popular Bally's Casino in Dover.
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Caesar Rodney and Capital public school districts
Two public school districts serve students living in Dover. The Caesar Rodney School District, which receives a B-plus rating from Niche, has seven elementary schools, four middle schools, and one high school, Caesar Rodney High. The Capital School District, which holds a B, has seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, Dover High. Higher education can continue at Delaware State University, a public HBCU with a 356-acre campus located on the north side of the city.
Private school options in the area include Calvary Christian Academy, a Pentecostal kindergarten through twelfth-grade school with a B-plus rating. The academy shares its campus with Calvary Church, an affiliation of the Assemblies of God faith. Other well-known houses of faith include People’s Church of Dover, recognized for its towering red-brick facade with a stone archway etched with “They Gave Us Peace,” memorializing World War I veterans. And Old Presbyterian Church of Dover has Federalist-style architecture with a cemetery that features gravestones dating back to 1700.
Dover High School is the home of the Senators.
Over 2,200 students attend Caesar Rodney High School each year.
Calvary Christian Academy has been rated a B+ from Niche.
Delaware State University was established in Dover back in 1891.
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U.S. Route 13 and Delaware State Route 1 run through Dover
The main arteries through Dover are U.S. Route 13 and Delaware State Route 1, also known as Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The nearest airport is Wilmington Airport, 45 miles north, which offers flights through Avelo Air and American Airlines. For more options in travel destinations, Philadelphia International Airport is a 70-mile drive north. The DART bus system services the community, and there are plans to implement more bike lanes. “We’re trying to make Dover pedestrian- and bike-friendly,” Courtney says. “We have a nice network of bike lanes on Senator Bikeway that go east to west through town. The intent is so that a 12-year-old could bike safely from one side of the town to the other.”
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base takes up the southeastern half of the city. The base is home to the 436th Airlift Wing, known as the Eagle Wing, and the reserve’s 512th Airlift Wing, known as the Liberty Wing. Each May, a crowd comes out for the annual air show that features demonstrations from the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and the United States Navy Blue Angels. Schmidt mentions that residents might hear noise from aircraft sometimes, but the flight patterns hardly ever go across the surrounding neighborhoods. However, those who live nearby do hear bugle calls. “It’s nice sitting on the porch and hearing the Reveille in the morning,” Schmidt says.” And at night, they play Taps."
Dover Air Force Base is located a few miles from Kent Acres.
Weather trends and crime rates in the city of Dover
Dover gets all four seasons, with July seeing the hottest temperatures in the high 80s and January seeing the coldest temperatures in the high 20s. It rains the most in August, and it’s more likely to snow in February. In 2020, wells located in Dover Air Force Base were found to be contaminated with “forever chemicals,” which can’t be broken down naturally. Because of this, the base implemented the Superfund program that will, among other things, install caps over the wells.
According to FBI Crime Data Explorer, Dover reports significantly more violent crime than the Delaware state and national average. These rates dipped drastically in the summer of 2023, but have since risen to more than double the state and national average at the year-end of 2023. Similarly, the city of Dover reports significantly more property crimes than the state and national average. These rates fell below the state and national property crime rates in the summer of 2023, but have grown exponentially to nearly four times the Delaware rate and nearly three times the national rate at the end of 2023.
Anthony and Jen have been together for nearly ten years, have three beautiful children, and are centrally located in Kent County, Delaware.
Anthony served in the United States Army for 6 years and completed a tour in Iraq, so the pair understand the unique challenges that accompany the military lifestyle. After his service, Anthony studied at Wilmington University and entered sales soon after. Jen attended Kaplan University and worked in marketing for several years before moving into sales.
Both raised in Delaware, Team Lapinsky knows the state from top to bottom. In their spare time, they enjoy taking advantage of all Delaware has to offer. From enjoying restaurants and attractions in the Wilmington and New Castle areas to taking in the excitement of Dover Downs to surf fishing with their kids at the beaches, Team Lapinsky takes full advantage of all Delaware has to offer and loves to share the best local spots with their clients.
Why Choose Team Lapinsky?
When Anthony and Jen made a change in their career path, they not only wanted to enjoy the flexibility it offered, they wanted to make a difference in people's lives. What better way to do that than guiding people through the process of finding the perfect home for each phase of their lives? Their ultimate goal is to educate their clients every step of the way, advocate for them during negotiations, and have them leave settlement happy and ready to make their new house a home. Of course, Realtors are only part of the equation when buying a home. That's why Team Lapinsky has partnered with top local lenders and attorneys. People who are part of the community and share their passion for unrivaled customer service.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
