Health · Dover

Dover, NH health

Dover differs from New Hampshire on 11 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with heart disease (4.8% vs 6%) and fewer adults with COPD (5.2% vs 6.2%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (72.2% vs 76.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Dover
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Dover’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns and 77% of New Hampshire towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressBMental distressA-ObesityA+DiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 91%
Less healthyHealthier
New Hampshire towns we grade (185)Healthier than 77%
Towns with similar incomes, $71K–$119K (8,658)Healthier than 95%

About what its income would suggest. Dover does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Dover could be anywhere from A− to A+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in New Hampshire ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Dover with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Dover uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Dover compares with New Hampshire

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Dover adults…

30 of every 100 Dover adults have high blood pressure
New Hampshire: 33 in 100 · better · margin 27.1–32.8%

Bars show Dover; the black tick is New Hampshire. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Dover, betterDover, worseToo close to callNew Hampshire
Get no exerciseshare of adults 17.7% Dover
NH 20.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 29.7% Dover
NH 32.9%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.8% Dover
NH 15.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.5% Dover
NH 10.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Dover adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.

77%
Yearly checkup
NH 78%
70%
Dentist visit
NH 69%
87%
Cholesterol check
NH 88%
69%
Colon screening
NH 70%
79%
Mammogram
NH 79%
72%
Taking BP meds
NH 77%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dover 6.2% · New Hampshire 1 in 15 (6.8%)
Mind & connection

How Dover adults are doing

1 in 3Dover adults feel lonely
33.3% · New Hampshire 30.6% · too close to call
1 in 4Dover adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.5% · New Hampshire 22.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Dover adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · New Hampshire 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Dover adults are in frequent mental distress
16.4% · New Hampshire 15.3% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 11
Dover adults worry about having enough food
8.9% · NH 9.5% · about the same
1 in 12
Dover adults worry about keeping their housing
8.1% · NH 8.1% · about the same
1 in 19
Dover adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.4% · NH 5.4% · about the same
1 in 18
Dover adults lack reliable transportation
5.5% · NH 5.6% · about the same

6.1% of Dover adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.

Disability

Living with a disability

23.7%

of Dover adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs9.1%
Thinking or memory11.4%
Hearing6.3%
Errands alone5.9%
Vision3.3%
Dressing or bathing2.4%

Black tick: New Hampshire. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Dover

Dover and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Dover.

Rollinsford: 33.2% Eliot: 32.4% South Berwick: 31.8% Newington: 29.7% Madbury: 31.5% Somersworth: 34.6% Rochester: 35.1% Berwick: 33.2% Kittery: 31.7% York: 31.3% Portsmouth: 29.7% Wells: 32.8% North Berwick: 33.5% Durham: 28.1% Greenland: 30.2% Lee: 31.8% Barrington: 33.6% Lebanon: 34.9% Farmington: 36.8% Strafford: 34.5% Dover: 31.8% Dover Rollinsford Eliot South Berwick Newington Madbury Somersworth Rochester Wentworth-Douglass Hospital · Dover · 1.8 mi · 4★ MedicareH Frisbie Memorial Hospital · Rochester · 9.6 mi · 3★ MedicareH Portsmouth Regional Hospital · Portsmouth · 9.7 mi · 3★ MedicareH York Hospital · York · 12.1 mi · 4★ MedicareH Greater Seacoast Health · Somersworth · 5 mi+ Lamprey Health Care · Newmarket · 8.3 mi+
28.1%36.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 21towns on this map, healthiest first
Newington29.7%
Madbury31.5%
Dover31.8%
South Berwick31.8%
Eliot32.4%
Rollinsford33.2%
Somersworth34.6%
Rochester35.1%
6 places to get careNearest ER 1.8 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Dover

1 hospital in Dover, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERWentworth-Douglass HospitalDover · 1.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyYork Hospital★★★★★ · 12.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGreater Seacoast Community HealthSomersworth · 5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.8 mi
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
Dover · ★★★★★
ERIn Dover
5 mi
Greater Seacoast Community Health
3 sites · nearest in Somersworth
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.3 mi
Lamprey Health Care
2 sites · nearest in Newmarket
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.6 mi
Frisbie Memorial Hospital
Rochester · ★★★★★
ER
9.7 mi
Portsmouth Regional Hospital
Portsmouth · ★★★★★
ER
12.1 mi
York Hospital
York · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careDover is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careDover is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthDover is not a shortage area

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. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Dover
MeasureDoverMarginNew Hampshire
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure29.8%27.1–32.8%33%better
High cholesterol34%31–37.2%35.2%about the same
Obesity31.8%27.3–36.7%31.8%about the same
Arthritis25.1%22.8–27.5%27.6%better
Depression25.5%22.5–28.8%22.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.5%6.9–10.3%8.9%about the same
Asthma10.5%9.3–11.8%10.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.6%7.9–9.4%9.8%better
Diabetes7.9%6.9–9.1%9.4%better
COPD5.2%4.6–5.9%6.2%better
Heart disease4.8%4.3–5.4%6%better
Stroke2.6%2.3–2.8%3.1%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.5%8.1–11.1%10.8%about the same
Binge drink16.8%14.3–19.7%15.7%about the same
Get no exercise17.7%15.1–20.6%20.7%better
Sleep under 7 hours29.7%25.7–34%32.9%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77%73.7–80.1%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit69.8%66.8–72.8%68.8%about the same
Cholesterol check87.1%85.2–88.7%88.3%about the same
Colon screening69%65.1–72.8%69.5%about the same
Mammogram79.1%73.7–84%78.8%about the same
Taking BP meds72.2%69.2–75%76.8%worse
No health insurance6.2%5.2–7.4%6.8%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.3%29.8–37%30.6%about the same
Lack emotional support21.9%19.3–24.8%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.4%14.6–18.3%15.3%about the same
Fair or poor health12.7%11.1–14.4%14.5%better
Frequent physical distress10.3%9.1–11.5%11.7%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.9%7.5–10.4%9.5%about the same
Housing insecurity8.1%6.9–9.4%8.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat5.4%4.6–6.2%5.4%about the same
No reliable transportation5.5%4.8–6.2%5.6%about the same
Receive SNAP6.1%5–7.3%6.5%
Disability
Any disability23.7%20.9–26.7%26.1%
Walking or climbing stairs9.1%7.9–10.4%11.3%
Thinking or memory11.4%10–12.8%12%
Hearing6.3%5.6–7.1%7.2%
Vision3.3%3–3.7%3.8%
Dressing or bathing2.4%2.2–2.7%2.9%
Errands alone5.9%5.3–6.7%6.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Dover door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the New Hampshire figure falls inside it, we don't call Dover better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Dover directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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