Delaware
Dover Air Force Base
📍 Dover, Delaware
Home to the Department of Defense's largest aerial port and the 436th Airlift Wing, handling strategic cargo and humanitarian missions worldwide.
BAH Rates
MHA: DE001 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$1,686/mo
E-5 with Dependents$1,950/mo
E-5 without Dependents$1,524/mo
O-3 with Dependents$2,448/mo
O-3 without Dependents$1,926/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Hunt Military Communities manages privatized housing — mix of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes; typically no wait for E-5 and below, short waits for officer housing
- Off-base (Dover): Most families rent in Dover, Camden, and Magnolia; rentals range $1,200-$2,400/month; Delaware has no sales tax and low property taxes
- BAH: Covers rental costs well in the Dover area; many families can afford a single-family rental within BAH
- Top pick: Camden — quiet small town 5 min south of base, award-winning Caesar Rodney School District, newer developments
- Note: On-base housing includes utilities, lawn care, and 24/7 maintenance; base housing is popular due to convenience and value
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Camden — 5-10 min south of base, top Caesar Rodney schools, family-friendly with newer developments like Wild Quail and Star Hill, popular with officer families
- Dover (south side) — 10-15 min commute, near shopping on Route 13, wide range of housing from apartments to colonials, most convenient for off-base living
- Magnolia — Small town 10 min southwest, quiet and affordable, growing with several new construction developments, good for first-time buyers
- Middletown — 25 min north, fastest-growing area in Delaware, excellent Appoquinimink School District, more suburban feel, popular with commuting families
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Major George S. Welch Elementary⭐ 5/10
Close to base
W. Reily Brown Elementary⭐ 6/10
Dover area
North Dover Elementary⭐ 5/10
Dover
🏫 Middle Schools
Dover Air Force Base Middle School⭐ 5/10
Close to base
Fred Fifer III Middle⭐ 6/10
Caesar Rodney district
Central Middle School⭐ 4/10
Dover
🏫 High Schools
Dover High School⭐ 4/10
Close to base, diverse
Caesar Rodney High School⭐ 6/10
Camden, solid programs
Smyrna High School⭐ 5/10
Growing area
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (Route 9) — Primary commercial gate and visitor center, 24/7, 5-10 min peak waits (7:00-8:30 AM), direct access to the aerial port and flightline
- North Gate (Route 10/Leipsic Road) — Secondary gate for housing area access, shorter waits, limited hours (typically 0530-1900)
- Commercial Gate — Separate entrance for truck traffic servicing the aerial port; keeps commercial vehicles off main base roads
- Tip: Gate traffic is light compared to most bases; the biggest variable is shift change at the aerial port — avoid North Gate 3:30-4:30 PM
Internet Providers
- Xfinity (Comcast) — Primary provider in Dover and Kent County; cable internet up to 1.2 Gbps; reliable and widely available
- Verizon — DSL and limited Fios availability in Dover; Fios fiber in select neighborhoods; speeds vary by location
- Breezeline — Cable provider serving parts of Kent County; speeds up to 1 Gbps; growing fiber footprint in newer developments
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet — Good coverage in Dover area; $50/month unlimited; solid alternative if you want to skip cable contracts
- Top pick: Xfinity cable — consistently reliable and available throughout the Dover area; Breezeline fiber in select new construction neighborhoods
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Dover Exchange and commissary — medium-sized but well-stocked with groceries, uniforms, and electronics; Shoppette and Class Six
- Route 13 corridor (Dover): Target, Walmart Supercenter, Lowe's, Home Depot, Kohl's, and chain restaurants concentrated along North Dupont Highway
- Dover Mall — Indoor mall with Boscov's, JCPenney, Best Buy, and food court; also has AMC movie theater
- Tax-free shopping: Delaware charges zero sales tax — significant savings on major purchases: appliances, electronics, furniture, and clothing
- Dining: Cool Springs Fish Bar & Restaurant for seafood, Restaurant 55 for burgers and craft beer, Maple Dale Country Club for Sunday brunch, and local favorite Grotto Pizza
Gyms & Recreation
- Dover AFB Fitness Center — 24/7 access, well-equipped with cardio machines, free weights, CrossFit area, indoor basketball, and group fitness classes
- Outdoor Recreation (ODR) — Equipment rentals (camping, fishing, kayaking), discounted tickets to Rehoboth Beach attractions and Philadelphia museums
- Dover AFB Golf Course (Eagle Creek) — 18-hole championship course on base, open to all ranks, very affordable green fees, pro shop and snack bar
- On-base: Bowling alley, auto hobby shop, community center, base pool (seasonal outdoor), disc golf course, and sports fields
- Killens Pond State Park (15 min south) — 66-acre pond for fishing, kayaking, and swimming; water park with slides and lazy river; hiking trails and camping
- Day trips: Rehoboth Beach and Delaware beaches (50 min), Philadelphia (1.5 hrs), Baltimore Inner Harbor (1.5 hrs), Washington DC (2 hrs)
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: AAFES, commissary, MWR, CDC — primary local employers for spouses; USAJobs for GS/WG positions in logistics, supply, and admin
- Defense contractors: Boeing (C-17 sustainment on base), Lockheed Martin, and Sierra Nevada Corporation maintain Dover operations
- Aerial port: Major civilian employer — DOD civilians and contractors handle air cargo operations 24/7; one of the busiest aerial ports in the world
- Civilian: State of Delaware government jobs in Dover (5-10 min) — administrative, IT, social services; state employment is stable with good benefits
- Dover Downs Hotel & Casino (5 min) — hospitality, gaming, and event management roles; one of the area's largest private employers
- Remote work: Growing option for Dover spouses; Delaware is in the Eastern time zone; no state income tax on remote work for DE-based remote workers under certain conditions
Local Attractions
- Delaware Beaches — Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, and Dewey Beach (50 min south); Rehoboth's mile-long boardwalk, Dogfish Head Brewery tours, and tax-free outlet shopping at Tanger Outlets
- Air Mobility Command Museum — Located on Dover AFB (open to public via Main Gate visitor access); the only museum dedicated to airlift and air refueling history; see vintage C-47, C-141, and C-5 aircraft up close
- Dover International Speedway — Monster Mile NASCAR track hosts spring and fall Cup Series races; also hosts Firefly Music Festival (on hiatus but expected to return)
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge — 20 min east; 16,000 acres of tidal salt marsh; world-class birdwatching, especially during spring/fall migrations; photography and hiking trails
- Historic Downtown Dover — The Green (laid out 1717), Delaware State Capitol (Legislative Hall), Old State House, and Johnson Victrola Museum; walkable historic district with restaurants and shops
- Washington DC — 2 hours by car; all Smithsonian museums are free; ideal for a weekend or long day trip
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III on the Dover flight line
nature
Delaware coastline — pristine Atlantic beaches just 50 minutes from base
neighborhood
Historic downtown Dover and the Delaware State Capitol on The Green
housing
On-base family housing in the Dover AFB Hunt Military community
downtown
Dover's historic district with colonial-era buildings and shops
restaurant
Local seafood — Delaware Bay blue crabs and fresh-caught fish at a Dover restaurant