Dorchester County, Maryland Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Dorchester County, Maryland, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Dorchester County, Maryland. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Dorchester County, Maryland. The estimated population of Dorchester County, Maryland is 32,486 people, with a median age of 44.1.

We can look at the total population in Dorchester County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
32,486
+1.54%
+0.31%
2020
31,994
 -0.45% -
2019
32,138
 -0.38% -
2018
32,261
 -0.39% -
2017
32,386
 - -

Population of Dorchester County, Maryland by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
62.4%
63.8%
 -2.19%
Black/African American
25.3%
26.8%
 -5.60%
Native
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
5.9%
5%
 +18.00%
Asian
1.3%
1%
 +30.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.9%
3.2%
 +53.13%
Other
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Dorchester County, Maryland by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 44.1 -1.56% 43.4 -1.81% 46.2 +0.87%
2020 44.8 +0.45% 44.2 +1.61% 45.8 -0.43%
2019 44.6 +0.22% 43.5 +0.23% 46 -0.22%
2018 44.5 +0.23% 43.4 +0.93% 46.1 +0.66%
2017 44.4 - 43 - 45.8 -

The median age of Dorchester County, Maryland gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,997 -18.54% 1,839 -4.17% 1,643 1,752
10 to 19 1,804 +21.74% 1,732 +7.38% 2,223 1,856
20 to 29 1,902 -10.1% 1,971 -3.86% 1,713 1,896
30 to 39 1,667 -1.16% 1,776 +9.76% 1,642 1,950
40 to 49 1,721 -5.23% 2,098 -5.92% 1,631 1,976
50 to 59 2,274 -4.64% 2,712 -0.3% 2,169 2,702
60 to 69 2,232 -7.97% 2,273 -4.44% 2,055 2,173
70+ 1,879 +20.45% 2,509 +11.7% 2,291 2,814

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Dorchester County, Maryland is $55,652.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Dorchester County.

  • Under 25
    $51,250.00
  • 25 to 44
    $51,698.00
  • 45 to 64
    $77,005.00
  • 65 and over
    $46,095.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Dorchester County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Dorchester County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Dorchester County, Maryland is currently $75,871.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

5.03% of households in Dorchester County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Dorchester County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    22.09%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    23.40%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.79%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.92%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    16.32%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.44%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.03%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Dorchester County is $31,983.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Dorchester County by the total population of Dorchester County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Dorchester County, Maryland, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Dorchester County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    10.32%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.82%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.33%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    56.76%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.77%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Dorchester County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Dorchester County over the age of 16 is 26,632.

Of those people, a total of 60.00% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Dorchester County is 56.50%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 1,620 40.20% 18.40%
20 to 24 years 1,744 76.70% 4.30%
25 to 29 years 1,865 78.30% 11.60%
30 to 34 years 1,917 82.20% 10.70%
35 to 44 years 3,428 86.30% 7.00%
45 to 54 years 3,986 83.10% 2.40%
55 to 59 years 2,739 71.10% 1.40%
60 to 64 years 2,313 52.30% 4.30%
65 to 74 years 4,118 31.10% 3.70%
75 years and over 2,902 8.60% 8.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Dorchester County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 17,825 58.00% 5.40%
Black or African American 6,439 63.90% 7.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3 100.00% 0.00%
Asian 378 76.20% 7.60%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 741 66.50% 3.90%
Two or more races 1,246 60.80% 4.00%
Hispanic or Latino 1,326 71.00% 4.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 17,492 57.70% 5.30%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Dorchester County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Dorchester County is 15,037, with median earnings of $34,995.00.

Women in Dorchester County, Maryland earning approximately 66.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 15,037 $34,995.00
Male 7,146 $44,089.00
Female 7,891 $29,274.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 1,455 $55,587.00
Business and Financial 469 $47,128.00
Computer and Mathematical 191 $69,526.00
Architecture and Engineering 199 $62,198.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 199 $83,194.00
Community and Social Service 257 $33,242.00
Legal 215 $36,406.00
Educational and Library 590 $34,257.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 133 $18,750.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,179 $52,621.00
Healthcare Support 836 $22,365.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 179 $27,284.00
Law Enforcement 274 $65,991.00
Food Preparation and Serving 949 $18,819.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 589 $20,197.00
Personal Care and Service 461 $12,039.00
Sales 1,383 $31,804.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,510 $32,347.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 382 $27,148.00
Construction and Extraction 807 $39,293.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 538 $46,912.00
Production 1,073 $37,539.00
Transportation and Material Moving 656 $39,840.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 703 $57,109.00 752 $54,490.00
Business and Financial 188 $35,250.00 281 $52,829.00
Computer and Mathematical 153 $80,707.00 38 $26,538.00
Architecture and Engineering 191 $62,750.00 8 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 32 $54,853.00 167 $83,250.00
Community and Social Service 78 $24,250.00 179 $34,145.00
Legal 13 $0.00 202 $32,500.00
Educational and Library 116 $65,250.00 474 $32,568.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 66 $36,250.00 67 $15,156.00
Healthcare Practitioners 198 $45,357.00 981 $53,691.00
Healthcare Support 38 $0.00 798 $22,108.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 135 $36,964.00 44 $26,466.00
Law Enforcement 241 $66,331.00 33 $4,150.00
Food Preparation and Serving 408 $25,199.00 541 $17,638.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 353 $33,601.00 236 $12,833.00
Personal Care and Service 37 $7,202.00 424 $12,105.00
Sales 755 $35,685.00 628 $28,519.00
Office and Administrative Support 285 $50,337.00 1,225 $30,896.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 352 $27,007.00 30 $33,750.00
Construction and Extraction 769 $39,455.00 38 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 538 $46,912.00 0 $0.00
Production 709 $49,595.00 364 $22,426.00
Transportation and Material Moving 445 $47,774.00 211 $25,704.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 13,123 households in Dorchester County, with an average household size of 2.43 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 8,420 families in Dorchester County with an average family size of 3.04 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 5,770 609 2,041 4,703
Average Household Size 2.95 4.05 3.44 1.15
Total Families 5,770 609 2,041 0
Average Household Size 2.92 3.58 3.22 0

Poverty

Of the 8,420 families in Dorchester County, 9.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Dorchester County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 16,433 housing units in Dorchester County, Maryland.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 13,123 79.86%
Vacant 3,310 20.14%

23.29% of the total 16,433 housing units in Dorchester County are rental units. This is approximately 3,828 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 9,038 are occupied by the owner - or 55.00% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Dorchester County is $878.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Dorchester County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    257
  • Less than $500
    635
  • $500 to $999
    1,670
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,123
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    341
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    40
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    19
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Dorchester County is $190,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Dorchester County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    557
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,054
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,424
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,719
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    2,074
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,509
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    575
  • $1,000,000 or more
    126

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Dorchester County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Dorchester County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,613
  • 1940 to 1949
    1,062
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,441
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,181
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,163
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,429
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,852
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,919
  • 2010 to 2013
    773
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Dorchester County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    1,273
  • 1 vehicle available
    4,116
  • 2 vehicles available
    4,330
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    3,404

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Dorchester County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Dorchester County that commute to work in a particular way.

26.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Dorchester County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    478
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,898
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,255
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,488
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,448
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    855
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    2,024
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    457
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    448
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    868
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    843
  • 90 or more minutes
    561

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Dorchester County, Maryland in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Dorchester County, Maryland

We have data for 32 places in Dorchester County, Maryland. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.