Cost to Own
United StatesFloridaHillsborough CountyDover Population 3,157 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Dover, Florida

A $216,000 home here costs

$1,765

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,110. The real number is $655 higher every month — 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Dover median: $215,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $172,800 borrowed $1,110
Property tax0.778% effective rate for Dover itself $140
Homeowners insuranceFlorida averages $2,437/yr (NAIC), or 0.725% of home value $131
Electricity15.17¢/kWh — Florida residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $180
Total monthly $1,765

Dover against Hillsborough County and Florida

MeasureDoverHillsborough County
Median home value$215,500$333,300
Median property tax$1,676$2,787
Effective tax rate0.778%0.836%
Median gross rent$840$1,543
Population3,1571,489,634

The weather behind that power bill

Dover sits in Hillsborough County, which averages a high of 91.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 52.8°F in its coldest, with 49.48" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,928 cooling and 433 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Hillsborough County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Hillsborough County

Full Hillsborough County cost breakdown · Every county in Florida

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Dover?

A $216,000 home in Dover, Florida costs approximately $1,765 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,110 principal and interest, $140 property tax, $131 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $180 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Dover?

Dover has an effective property tax rate of 0.778%, based on a median home value of $215,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,676. That is lower than the Hillsborough County average of 0.836%.

What is the average home price in Dover?

The median owner-occupied home value in Dover, Florida is $215,500, against $333,300 across Hillsborough County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dover?

Median gross rent in Dover is $840 a month, against $1,765 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Dover — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Florida.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology