Dover, DE 1 of 15 Active Retirement Communities Location

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Ivan Gillis

Active Retirement Communities

State: Delaware

City: Dover

The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware River coastal plain. It was named by William Penn for Dover in Kent, England. As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 35,811.

Dover was founded as the court town for newly established Kent County in 1683 by William Penn, the Proprietor of the territory generally known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware." Later, in 1717, the city was officially laid out by a special commission of the Delaware General Assembly. The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here from New Castle in 1777 due to its central location and relative safety from British raiders on the Delaware River. Due to an act passed in October 1779, the assembly elected to meet at any place in the state they saw fit, meeting successively in Wilmington, Lewes, Dover, New Castle, and Lewes again, until it finally settled down permanently in Dover in October 1781. The city's central square, known as The Green, was the location of many rallies, troop reviews, and other patriotic events. To this day, The Green remains the heart of Dover's historic district and is the location of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Kent County Courthouse.

Dover and Kent County were deeply divided over the issue of slavery and was a "stop" on the Underground Railroad, due to its proximity to slave holding Maryland and free Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was also home to a large Quaker community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early nineteenth century. There were very few slaves in the area, but the institution was supported, if not practiced, by a small majority, who saw to its continuation.

Dover is one of the fast-growing areas in the State of Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As a consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area as well. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include Dover Air Force Base, located within the southeast corporate limits of the city. The base houses two airlift wings as well as the U.S. military's only mortuary located in the continental United States, which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble have manufacturing facilities in Dover. ILC Dover, in nearby Frederica, is the producer of fabrics for military and aerospace uses, along with being the primary contractor for production of the Apollo and Skylab spacesuits, as well as the spacesuit assembly for the Space Shuttle's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU).

Two weekends a year, NASCAR stock car races are held at Dover International Speedway, attracting over 100,000 spectators and visitors and temporarily making Dover the state's largest city. These races, and in recent years adjacent slot machine gambling, contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy

Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department.

The Delaware State Library, Delaware State Museum, and the Delaware State Archives are located in downtown Dover and are open to the public for research and browsing.

Income & Housing Costs Numbers:

Estimated median household income in 2008: $52,918 (it was $38,669 in 2000)

Dover:

$52,918

Delaware:

$57,989

Estimated per capita income in 2008: $25,323

Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $224,158 (it was $107,700 in 2000)

Dover:

$224,158

Delaware:

$250,900

Dec. 2009 cost of living index in Dover: 85.2 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)

In-Depth Facts and Figures as listed below, plus other information:

· Climate Charts

1. Average Temperature

2. Precipitation (Rain)

3. Humidity

4. Wind Speed (MPH)

5. Snowfall

6. Sunshine

7. Cloudy Days

· Tornado Activity History

· Hospitals & Medical

· Airports

· Colleges/Universities