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COUNTY

Dorchester County

South Carolina · 178,397 residents (2025 est.) · 568 sq mi
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The short version

Dorchester County is a county of 167,201 people in South Carolina. Since 2000 the county has risen by half, up 70,788 people. That puts it in the top 6% of US counties for household income. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 5%. 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $78,198, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 96%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Dorchester County

What changed most since 1990

  • Population83,060 → 167,201 (+101%)US over the same years: +35%

Among the 46 counties in South Carolina

  • 6th in household income$78,198
  • 11th in share with a bachelor's degree29.8%
  • 5th in home value$329,300
  • 13th in diversity score70.4
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
167,201
+73%since 2000
from 96,413 in 2000
178,397 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
294 / sq mi
+73%since 2000
from 170 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
38.0
+10%since 2000
from 34.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
568 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
75K100K125K150K176K19902000201020202024Dorchester County
2024167K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(9,751)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(10,256)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.7%(12,874)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(10,863)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.7%(9,591)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.5%(22,612)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.3%(23,926)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.5%(20,887)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(21,034)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.4%(15,703)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.5%(7,496)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(2,208)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$78,198
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,316 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,870
+106%since 2000
from $18,840 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
52.0%
+19.8 ptssince 2009
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.420
+6%since 2010
from 0.395 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade11.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance7.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$329,300
+96%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $92,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,463
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $568 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
75.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 75.0% in 2000
24.5% rent
Vacancy rate
6.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.61 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.81 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.5%
−7.3 ptssince 2009
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.7%
+10.8 ptssince 2009
from 41.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.2
+39%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
1990 – 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
48
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic70.1%(67,578)
Black25%(24,067)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,722)
Asian1.1%(1,077)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic60.6%(101,283)
Black24.9%(41,565)
Hispanic / Latino7.2%(12,058)
Asian2.1%(3,492)
Other5.3%(8,803)
Diversity Score
70
+19%since 2009
from 59 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
22
−15%since 2020
from 26 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
Mexican3%(4,938)
Puerto Rican1.6%(2,717)
Central American0.9%(1,485)
South American0.7%(1,089)
Honduran0.5%(806)
Cuban0.4%(637)
Colombian0.2%(383)
Guatemalan0.2%(329)
Spaniard0.2%(302)
Venezuelan0.2%(301)
Panamanian0.1%(227)
Peruvian0.1%(215)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.1%(157)
Ecuadorian0.1%(84)
Argentine0%(49)
Chilean0%(33)
Bolivian0%(24)
Asian origin
Filipino0.7%(1,201)
Vietnamese0.3%(452)
Asian Indian0.3%(440)
Chinese0.3%(419)
Cambodian0.1%(217)
Korean0.1%(162)
Laotian0.1%(116)
Taiwanese0.1%(90)
Japanese0%(57)
Pakistani0%(43)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Uzbek0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(79)
Chamorro0%(20)
Ancestry
English13%(21,717)
German10.6%(17,732)
Irish8.4%(14,037)
American5.4%(9,040)
Italian3.7%(6,188)
Scottish2.9%(4,928)
French2%(3,359)
Polish1.9%(3,117)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(2,420)
Swedish0.6%(1,046)
Norwegian0.6%(934)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.5%(769)
West Indian0.4%(698)
British0.4%(688)
Arab0.4%(652)
Portuguese0.4%(607)
Greek0.3%(584)
Czech0.3%(527)
Welsh0.3%(525)
Brazilian0.3%(487)
Lebanese0.3%(436)
Ukrainian0.2%(399)
Croatian0.2%(357)
Russian0.2%(352)
Australian0.2%(323)
Swiss0.2%(289)
Danish0.2%(285)
Finnish0.2%(279)
Jamaican0.2%(265)
Hungarian0.2%(259)
Austrian0.1%(241)
Nigerian0.1%(238)
Kenyan0.1%(233)
Canadian0.1%(175)
Haitian0.1%(167)
Slovak0.1%(151)
Armenian0.1%(129)
Lithuanian0.1%(93)
Syrian0.1%(87)
Moroccan0%(76)
Turkish0%(63)
Guyanese0%(43)
Belgian0%(26)
Serbian0%(26)
Romanian0%(21)
Slovene0%(18)
Barbadian0%(14)
Iranian0%(12)
Jordanian0%(11)
Egyptian0%(10)
Latvian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.8%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 21.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.1%
+10.0 ptssince 2000
from 82.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.5%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.3 min
+60%since 2000
from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.9%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.0%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.2%
+7.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 71.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.1%
+8.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
51.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
5.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.8%
+2.6 ptssince 2012
from 11.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.6%
+13.7 ptssince 2017
from 77.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.3%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 93.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 86.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
92.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 93.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2016
from 3.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.8%(22,528)
Married54.6%(35,378)
Widowed2.6%(1,692)
Divorced8%(5,196)
Women 15+
Never married28.9%(20,063)
Married50.9%(35,380)
Widowed8.1%(5,621)
Divorced12.2%(8,462)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 54.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 68.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 34.2% 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)39.4%(5,812)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)34%(5,009)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era23.3%(3,438)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2%(300)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(126)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,738 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
Over time

Dorchester County, decade by decade

Dorchester County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199083,060$73,836$175,68517.3%49.4
200096,413$78,907$167,95721.4%55.7
2010136,555$79,170$246,57124.1%62.9
2020161,540$76,966$258,16428.2%70.1
2024167,201$78,198$329,30029.8%70.4

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Dorchester County

Scott County
Pop 175,259
Houston County
Pop 178,214
Kenton County
Pop 175,779
McLean County
Pop 171,419
Places similar to Dorchester County
Head to head

Compare Dorchester County to nearby counties

DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Colleton County
Income$51,114−35%
Home value$162,500−51%
Population39,382−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Berkeley County
Income$84,358+8%
Home value$310,300−6%
Population274,666+54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Charleston County
Income$88,494+13%
Home value$489,100+49%
Population436,200+145%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Orangeburg County
Income$45,675−42%
Home value$115,800−65%
Population83,177−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

Dorchester County, South Carolina has about 167,201 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Dorchester County, South Carolina earns about $78,198 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Dorchester County, South Carolina expensive?

In Dorchester County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $329,300, and the typical rent is about $1,463 a month.

How educated are people in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

About 29.8% of adults age 25 and over in Dorchester County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

About 11.4% of people in Dorchester County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Dorchester County, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Dorchester County, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 84,141 residents, a change of about 101 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 →