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COUNTY

Dorchester County

Maryland · 33,628 residents (2025 est.) · 541 sq mi
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The short version

Dorchester County is home to 32,754 people in Maryland. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. That trails the Maryland median by roughly 40%. At a median age of 43.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $262,400.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 64%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
32,754
+7%since 2000
from 30,674 in 2000
33,628 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
61 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 59 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.5
+7%since 2000
from 40.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
541 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K31K31K32K33K19902000201020202024Dorchester County
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(1,829)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(2,005)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(1,800)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(1,975)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(1,694)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.9%(3,563)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(3,823)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411%(3,592)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.1%(4,935)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.5%(4,433)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.7%(2,525)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(580)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,839
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,077 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,605
+88%since 2000
from $18,929 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
41.5%
+15.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.1%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.470
+4%since 2010
from 0.450 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade8.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance6.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$262,400
+64%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,032
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $456 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
65.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2000
from 70.1% in 2000
34.4% rent
Vacancy rate
17.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.38 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
24.3%
−10.2 ptssince 2009
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.9%
+7.3 ptssince 2009
from 42.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.2
−3%since 2009
from 4.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
11
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic68.8%(21,117)
Black28.2%(8,658)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(385)
Asian0.6%(199)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic60.7%(19,895)
Black24.8%(8,115)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(1,996)
Asian1.2%(381)
Other7.2%(2,367)
Diversity Score
70
+22%since 2009
from 58 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
36
−5%since 2020
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2%(648)
Puerto Rican1.7%(559)
Salvadoran1.3%(424)
Dominican0.4%(144)
Guatemalan0.3%(96)
Colombian0.1%(21)
Cuban0.1%(19)
Honduran0%(12)
Asian origin
Cambodian0.5%(150)
Filipino0.3%(83)
Chinese0.2%(65)
Thai0.1%(37)
Pakistani0.1%(32)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(22)
Ancestry
English13.5%(4,416)
German12.1%(3,947)
American10.2%(3,331)
Irish9.8%(3,217)
Italian3.3%(1,088)
Polish2.3%(749)
French1.5%(500)
Scottish1.3%(421)
West Indian1.1%(355)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(269)
Welsh0.7%(231)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Nigerian0.6%(186)
Swedish0.5%(179)
Dutch0.4%(131)
British0.4%(125)
Russian0.3%(103)
Haitian0.3%(92)
Hungarian0.3%(86)
Turkish0.3%(82)
Swiss0.2%(78)
Czech0.2%(74)
Norwegian0.2%(54)
Lithuanian0.2%(50)
Portuguese0.2%(50)
Ukrainian0.1%(45)
Greek0.1%(44)
Jamaican0.1%(43)
Guyanese0.1%(39)
Finnish0.1%(27)
Belgian0%(15)
Croatian0%(15)
Danish0%(15)
Austrian0%(12)
Arab0%(8)
Slovak0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.4%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.3%
+12.0 ptssince 2000
from 74.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.9 min
+58%since 2000
from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 81.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.3%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
11.6%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.7%
−6.4 ptssince 2011
from 12.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.7%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 65.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2020
from 75.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
16.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 27.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.9% in 2009
Female
53.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 53.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.9%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2012
from 15.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.5%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.8%
+15.3 ptssince 2017
from 70.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.8%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
93.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 94.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 3.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.4%(4,411)
Married50.4%(6,279)
Widowed3.5%(436)
Divorced10.7%(1,338)
Women 15+
Never married31.7%(4,648)
Married43.4%(6,356)
Widowed9.9%(1,454)
Divorced15%(2,198)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.5%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
44.2%
−5.4 ptssince 2020
from 49.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.4%
+4.0 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
27.5%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 23.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
34.9%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 32.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.9%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 60.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
55.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 52.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.1%(290)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(417)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.4%(871)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.7%(96)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(4)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,056 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Pop 32,919
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Pop 33,443
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Pop 32,901
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Head to head

Compare Dorchester County to nearby counties

DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Wicomico County
Income$76,210+23%
Home value$254,700−3%
Population106,899+218%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Talbot County
Income$84,811+37%
Home value$409,700+56%
Population38,238+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Somerset County
Income$64,943+5%
Home value$173,200−34%
Population24,973−26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Calvert County
Income$133,922+117%
Home value$460,200+75%
Population94,484+181%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Dorchester County, Maryland has about 32,754 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Dorchester County, Maryland?

The typical household in Dorchester County, Maryland earns about $61,839 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Dorchester County, Maryland expensive?

In Dorchester County, Maryland, the median home is worth about $262,400, and the typical rent is about $1,032 a month.

How educated are people in Dorchester County, Maryland?

About 19.4% of adults age 25 and over in Dorchester County, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Dorchester County, Maryland?

About 17.1% of people in Dorchester County, Maryland live below the federal poverty line.

Has Dorchester County, Maryland grown since 1990?

Yes, Dorchester County, Maryland has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,518 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →