Dorchester County, MD

County

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2024 Population

32,754

US Senator

Chris Van Hollen

Democratic Party

US Senator

Angela Alsobrooks

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

43.5

0.911% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

17.1%

5.42% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$61,839

2.22% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$262,400

4% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

14,753

0.0271% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Dorchester County, MD reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.4% of the residents in Dorchester County, MD are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Dorchester County, MD was $262,400, and the homeownership rate was 65.6%.

Most people in Dorchester County, MD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Dorchester County, MD was 2 cars per household.

Dorchester County, MD borders Sussex County, DE, Calvert County, MD, Caroline County, MD, St. Mary's County, MD, Somerset County, MD, Talbot County, MD, and Wicomico County, MD.

United States Maryland Cambridge, MD

Population & Diversity

Dorchester County, MD is home to a population of 32.8k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.36% of Dorchester County, MD residents were born outside of the country (1.43k people).

In 2024, there were 2.45 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (19.9k people) in Dorchester County, MD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.12k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.92k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.4%

2024 Citizenship

98%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.4% of Dorchester County, MD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Dorchester County, MD was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Dorchester County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Dorchester County, MD

White (Non-Hispanic)
19.9k ± 154
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
8.12k ± 385
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
1.92k ± 386

6.09%

Hispanic Population

2k people

6.09% of the people in Dorchester County, MD are hispanic (2k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Dorchester County, MD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Maryland.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
130,412 ± 8,772 people
India
62,394 ± 6,102 people
Nigeria
47,653 ± 5,339 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maryland was El Salvador, the natal country of 130,412 Maryland residents, followed by India with 62,394 and Nigeria with 47,653.

Foreign-Born Population

4.36%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.43k people

3.98%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.3k people

As of 2024, 4.36% of Dorchester County, MD residents (1.43k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Dorchester County, MD was 3.98%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Dorchester County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
830 ± 155
Gulf War (2001-)
290 ± 136
Gulf War (1990s)
289 ± 118

Dorchester County, MD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.86 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Dorchester County, MD.

Economy

The economy of Dorchester County, MD employs 14.8k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Dorchester County, MD were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,947 people), Retail Trade (1,694 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (1,447 people), and the highest paying industries were Information ($77,656), Public Administration ($74,716), and Utilities ($70,658).

Employment

Occupations

14.8k

2024 Value

± 873

0.0271%

1 Year growth

± 8.36%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dorchester County, MD grew at a rate of 0.0271%, from 14.7k employees to 14.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dorchester County, MD, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,758 people), Management Occupations (1,360 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1,190 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Dorchester County, MD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maryland (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

14.8k

2024 Value

± 873

0.0271%

1 Year growth

± 8.36%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dorchester County, MD grew at a rate of 0.0271%, from 14.7k employees to 14.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dorchester County, MD, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,947 people), Retail Trade (1,694 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (1,447 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Dorchester County, MD, though some of these residents may live in Dorchester County, MD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,825

Median earning men ± $2,932

$36,206

Median earning women ± $2,552

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($86,875), Information ($79,375), and Public Administration ($75,875).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($60,913), Public Administration ($57,083), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,300).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Y-Axis

0.617%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.69M people employed in Maryland. This represents a 0.617% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Maryland.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

55
Other Services (except Public Administration)
50
Construction
42
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$153k
Manufacturing
$79.3k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$44.4k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maryland went to Kamala Harris with 62.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.1%), followed by Jill Stein (1.09%).

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing the state of Maryland. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maryland is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Dorchester County, MD. Showing the available data for Maryland.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (62.6%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.1%)
Republican Party
Jill Stein (1.09%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maryland went to Kamala Harris with 62.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.1%), followed by Jill Stein (1.09%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Maryland for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maryland

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Chris Van Hollen

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Angela Alsobrooks

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing Maryland.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maryland over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Dorchester County, MD was $262,400 in 2024, which is 0.789 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $252,300 to $262,400, a 4% increase. The homeownership rate in Dorchester County, MD is 65.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Dorchester County, MD have an average commute time of 26.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Dorchester County, MD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Dorchester County, MD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.76%.

Housing

Property

$262,400

Median Property Value 2024

±$12,508

$8,882

Median Property Taxes

±$596

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Dorchester County, MD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Dorchester County, MD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65.6%

Homeownership

2024

63.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 65.6% of the housing units in Dorchester County, MD were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Dorchester County, MD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$61,839

Median Household Income

± $4,414

13.5k

Number of Households

± 776

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.5k households in Dorchester County, MD grew to $61,839 from the previous year's value of $60,495.

The following chart displays the households in Dorchester County, MD distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Dorchester County, MD is from Maryland.

0.451

2023 Wage GINI in Maryland

0.454

2022 Wage GINI in Maryland

In 2023, the income inequality in Maryland was 0.451 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.683% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Maryland was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maryland in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maryland across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (78.7%)
Carpooled (10.3%)
Worked At Home (7.27%)

In 2024, 78.7% of workers in Dorchester County, MD drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.3%) and those who worked at home (7.27%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

26.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dorchester County, MD have a longer commute time (26.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.6% of the workforce in Dorchester County, MD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Dorchester County, MD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Dorchester County, MD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Dorchester County, MD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Dorchester County, MD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.76%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dorchester County, MD (5.53k out of 32.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females < 5, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Dorchester County, MD is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 23.2% of the children was living in poverty in Dorchester County, MD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 456 in Dorchester County, MD. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 67.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

94.5% of the population of Dorchester County, MD has health coverage, with 32.5% on employee plans, 30.3% on Medicaid, 16.2% on Medicare, 14.2% on non-group plans, and 1.26% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, MD see 2,954 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,954 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1488 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 365 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.9% were men and 54.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,954 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Dorchester County, MD

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, MD see an average of 2,954 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,954 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Dorchester County, MD in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.3% under 18 years, 17.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.9% were men and 54.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.54%

Uninsured

32.5%

Employer Coverage

30.3%

Medicaid

16.2%

Medicare

14.2%

Non-Group

1.26%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dorchester County, MD grew by 2.71% from 5.4% to 5.54%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Dorchester County, MD changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 78.2 in Dorchester County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Dorchester County, MD.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 41.8% in Dorchester County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Dorchester County, MD.