Dorchester County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Dorchester County has a population of 167,201 residents and a median age of 38.0 years, making it the #412 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.4%. The median home value is $329,300, and the median household income is $78,198, which is 4% above the national median.
Demographics
Dorchester County has a population of 167,201, making it the #412 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.0 years, which is 2.3% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Dorchester County is $78,198, ranking #662 out of 3,222 counties — 4.1% above the national median. The poverty rate is 11.4% and unemployment stands at 4.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Dorchester County is $329,300 (+16.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,463/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Dorchester County, 29.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 11.6% below the national average, ranking #775 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Dorchester County is 76.4 years. 16.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.9% of adults in Dorchester County smoke , 36.4% are obese , and 20.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 30.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Dorchester County is 7.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 17.6 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.8% of children in Dorchester County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 17.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Dorchester County is 65.7%. The mean commute time is 34.4 min, which is 24.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Dorchester County voted Republican with a margin of 14.6%. The vote was 41.8% Dem / 56.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Dorchester County, South Carolina
Dorchester County, South Carolina has a total population of 167,201, making it the 412th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Dorchester County is 38.0 years, which is 2.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Dorchester County is $78,198, which ranks #662 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.1% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.4%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.8%.
The median home value in Dorchester County is $329,300, 16.8% above the national median. Renters in Dorchester County pay a median gross rent of $1,463 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Dorchester County, 29.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.4 min.
Dorchester County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 60.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (24.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (7.2%).
All data for Dorchester County, South Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.