Uprootmap
Lancaster vs Dover
Lancaster and Dover
Photo: Tim Kiser / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Dover are close to the US rate in this release, 6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Lancaster to Dover
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Lancaster to Dover above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,217 in Lancaster and $1,336 in Dover. Lancaster has a state tax on wages. Dover has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Dover is 90% of the national level for the same work, against 95% in Lancaster.
Dover averages 214 sunny days, with July highs around 88°F and January nights around 34°F. Lancaster is 194 sunny days, 87°F in July, 30°F in January. Commutes average 27 minutes in Dover and 24 in Lancaster.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Lancaster → Dover pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Lancaster and Dover changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 92 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,050
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Dover
Questions
Is Dover cheaper than Lancaster after tax and rent?
No. Dover leaves about $164 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,217 in Lancaster and $1,336 in Dover.
Does Dover have state income tax?
Dover is in Delaware, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Lancaster to Dover?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.