Dover School District

Dover, New Hampshire — 5 schools

3,778
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$18,848
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dover School District operates 5 public schools serving 3,778 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Hampshire. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,498 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Strafford County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,848 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 64.7% local, 25.8% state, and 9.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $98,484 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 25/100, ranked #102 of 114 in New Hampshire against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 246.7:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 36.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.3% White, 6.1% Asian, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Dover Senior High School accounts for 39.2% of all Dover School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Dover School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dover School District school enrollment varies 3.9× across entities

Dover School District school enrollment ranges from 353 students (lowest) to 1,371 students (highest), a spread of 1,018 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dover School District student-counselor ratio is 247:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Dover School District chronic absenteeism rate is 36.5% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.5%
Federal
25.8%
State
64.7%
Local

Funding Equity

25
Equity Score
102 / 114
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Strafford County county, where this district is located.

$1,601
Studio/mo
$1,677
1 BR/mo
$2,194
2 BR/mo
$2,693
3 BR/mo
$2,941
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$98,484
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Dover School District.

White 78.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
African American 1.7%
Asian 6.1%
Multiracial 8.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
246.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Dover School District

School Enrollment
Dover Senior High School
1,371
Dover Middle School
941
Woodman Park School
421
Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School at Horne Street
412
Garrison School
353

Nearby Districts in New Hampshire

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Manchester School District
12,105 students · 21 schools · $16,662/pupil
Compare vs Dover School District →
Nashua School District
10,004 students · 20 schools · $20,794/pupil
Compare vs Dover School District →
Bedford School District
4,169 students · 6 schools · $17,957/pupil
Compare vs Dover School District →
Londonderry School District
4,128 students · 6 schools · $20,569/pupil
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Concord School District
4,037 students · 7 schools · $22,771/pupil
Compare vs Dover School District →

Compare Dover School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Manchester School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Dover School District?

Dover School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 3 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 3,778 students.

How much does Dover School District spend per student?

Dover School District spends $18,848 per student. The district has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #102 in New Hampshire.

What is the average teacher salary in Dover School District?

The average teacher salary in Dover School District is $98,484 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Dover School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Strafford County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Dover School District?

Dover School District students are 78.3% White, 6.1% Asian, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dover School District?

Dover School District has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #102 out of 114 districts in New Hampshire. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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50 states + DC

Full national footprint

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Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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