Moving to Dover: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Dover means moving to a real, small, rural southern Vermont town genuinely, substantially defined by Mount Snow -- Vermont's southernmost major ski resort.

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A real, significant southern Vermont ski-resort identity

Mount Snow, located directly in Dover (specifically West Dover), spans 601 acres across 86 trails with a 1,700-foot vertical drop and an average annual snowfall of approximately 150 inches -- genuinely Vermont's southernmost major ski mountain, drawing 600,000+ annual visitors (base record).

A real, genuine second-home/vacation-property community

Most of Dover's own cited approximately 1,800 residents are themselves second-homeowners rather than year-round primary residents -- a genuine, defining character this record discloses directly (base record).

A genuinely favorable property tax rate

Dover's own 0.75% Ownwell-cited effective property tax rate runs genuinely below both national and Vermont statewide comparison figures, aided by a recent town-wide reappraisal (base record).

A solidly rated in-town elementary school

Dover Elementary School (Pre-K-6, ~90 students, an IB World school) was cited in the top 20% of all Vermont schools for overall test scores (base record).

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-09-02. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.