Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Dover?

Dover, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Dover?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $42,000 in Dover.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Dover?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Dover under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Concord vs Dover Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Dover

Delaware

$1,270/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,270 in Dover, DE. Overall, Dover, DE is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $58,336 in Dover, DE — about 30% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Dover, DE

Rent

Studio

$876

$993

+13% in Dover, DE

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,047

+8% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,185

+20% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,634

+8% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$248,500

+23% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$58,336

+30% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$46,690

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

35.1 yr

+5.6 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

47.0%

+10.4 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

27.1%

+13.0 pp in Concord, NH

Avg Commute

23.2 min

24.0 min

+0.8 min in Dover, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

1,025.3

+467% in Dover, DE

Property Crime

1,251.5

6,159.1

+392% in Dover, DE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

56.9°F

+10.5°F in Dover, DE

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

46.0 in

+5.4 in in Dover, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

19.3

+29% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$29.73

+37% in Dover, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Concord, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Dover, DE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / DE)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

6.60%

+6.6 pp in DE

Concord vs Dover — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Dover?: Dover, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Dover?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $42,000 in Dover.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Dover?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Dover under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).