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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Dorchester County

South Carolina · 96,413 residents · 568 sq mi
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The short version

Dorchester County is home to 96,413 people in South Carolina. 75% of homes are owner-occupied. That is roughly 17% ahead of the South Carolina median. Growth has run 16% since 1990, or 13,353 more people. Median home value sits at $92,200. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 34.7
US median: 35.2
Average education
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
96,413
+16%since 1990
from 83,060 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
34.7
+16%since 1990
from 29.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
568 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
75K100K125K150K176K19902000201020202024Dorchester County
2024167K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.7%(6,470)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 98.2%(7,944)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.9%(8,541)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.6%(7,325)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.2%(5,034)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414%(13,451)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417.7%(17,052)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414%(13,511)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.6%(8,294)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.2%(5,002)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843%(2,919)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over0.9%(870)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,316
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $30,764 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,840
+59%since 1990
from $11,884 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
9.7%
−1.9 ptssince 1990
from 11.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$92,200
−4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $73,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$568
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $428 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
75.0%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 71.0% in 1990
25.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic75%(62,336)
Black23.1%(19,178)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(959)
Asian0.9%(742)
2000
White, non-Hispanic70.1%(67,578)
Black25%(24,067)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,722)
Asian1.1%(1,077)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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
21.4%
+4.1 ptssince 1990
from 17.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
82.2%
+5.5 ptssince 1990
from 76.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
7.3%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 6.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.5 min
−22%since 1990
from 25.0 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.8%(9,069)
Married63.9%(22,482)
Widowed2%(694)
Divorced8.3%(2,931)
Women 15+
Never married21.7%(8,259)
Married59.1%(22,531)
Widowed9.4%(3,579)
Divorced9.8%(3,727)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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
Drill deeper

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Pop 175,259
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Head to head

Compare Dorchester County to nearby counties

DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Colleton County
Income$51,114+18%
Home value$162,500+76%
Population39,382−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Berkeley County
Income$84,358+95%
Home value$310,300+237%
Population274,666+54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Charleston County
Income$88,494+104%
Home value$489,100+430%
Population436,200+145%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DORCHESTER COUNTY VS
Orangeburg County
Income$45,675+5%
Home value$115,800+26%
Population83,177−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

Dorchester County, South Carolina has about 96,413 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Dorchester County, South Carolina earns about $43,316 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 $92,200, and the typical rent is about $568 a month.

How educated are people in Dorchester County, South Carolina?

About 21.4% 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 9.7% 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 13,353 residents, a change of about 16 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 →