Dorchester County, MD

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Population

32,386

0.2% decline

Median Age

44.4


Median Household Income

$50,532

5.48% growth

Poverty Rate

15.4%


Number of Employees

15,240

0.118% growth

Median Property Value

$179,300

4.68% decline

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Dorchester County, MD had a population of 32.4k people with a median age of 44.4 and a median household income of $50,532. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Dorchester County, MD declined from 32,451 to 32,386, a -0.2% decrease and its median household income grew from $47,907 to $50,532, a 5.48% increase.

The population of Dorchester County, MD is 63.8% White Alone, 26.8% Black or African American Alone, and 4.99% Hispanic or Latino. 5.51% of the people in Dorchester County, MD speak a non-English language, and 97.8% are U.S. citizens.

The median property value in Dorchester County, MD is $179,300, and the homeownership rate is 65.8%. Most people in Dorchester County, MD commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 25.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Dorchester County, MD is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Tributaries of the Chester River, from front to back: West Fork (Langford Creek), East Fork, mainstem Chester River, Corsica River.

Photo by J. Albert Bowden II

United StatesMarylandCambridge, MD

Economy

The economy of Dorchester County, MD employs 15.2k people. The largest industries in Dorchester County, MD are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,476 people), Retail Trade (1,631 people), and Manufacturing (1,628 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($54,375), Information ($50,022), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($46,458).

Median household income in Dorchester County, MD is $50,532. Males in Dorchester County, MD have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $61,332. The income inequality in Dorchester County, MD (measured using the Gini index) is 0.461, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$50,532

2017 value

± $3,733

5.48%

1 Year Growth

± 8.71%

Households in Dorchester County, MD have a median annual income of $50,532, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $47,907 in 2016, which represents a 5.48% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Dorchester County, MD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$77,536

Average Male Salary

± $1,629

$61,332

Average Female Salary

± $1,200

In 2017, full-time male employees in Dorchester County, MD made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Dorchester County, MD by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Alaska Native

    $90,993 ± $115,433

  2. Asian

    $68,448 ± $4,004

  3. White

    $67,584 ± $1,364

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Dorchester County, MD workers was Alaska Native. These workers were paid 1.33 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Dorchester County, MD by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.461

2017 Wage GINI

0.459

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Maryland was 0.461 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.363% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Maryland was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9708.04

  2. Census Tract 9701

  3. Census Tract 9703

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Dorchester County, MD was Census Tract 9708.04 with a value of $65,208, followed by Census Tract 9701 and Census Tract 9703, with respective values of $62,153 and $62,019.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Dorchester County, MD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Males 6 - 11

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

15.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dorchester County, MD (4.93k out of 31.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    2,402 ± 328

  2. Black

    2,089 ± 320

  3. Hispanic

    422 ± 156

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

15.2k

2017 Value

± 784

0.118%

1 Year growth

± 7.1%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Dorchester County, MD grew at a rate of 0.118%, from 15.2k employees to 15.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dorchester County, MD, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,157 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,416 people), and Management Occupations (1,278 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Dorchester County, MD.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Dorchester County, MD, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,157 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,416 people), and Management Occupations (1,278 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Dorchester County, MD has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (3.03 times higher than expected), Health Technologists & Technicians (1.66 times), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (1.64 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Dorchester County, MD, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($80,417), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($62,059), and Management Occupations ($57,568).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

15.2k

2017 Value

± 784

0.118%

1 Year growth

± 7.1%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Dorchester County, MD grew at a rate of 0.118%, from 15.2k employees to 15.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dorchester County, MD, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,476 people), Retail Trade (1,631 people), and Manufacturing (1,628 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Dorchester County, MD, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,476 people), Retail Trade (1,631 people), and Manufacturing (1,628 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Dorchester County, MD has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (3.37 times higher than expected), Public Administration (1.55 times), and Wholesale Trade (1.44 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Dorchester County, MD, by median earnings, are Utilities ($54,375), Information ($50,022), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($46,458).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Maryland to other states, or from other states to Maryland.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Textiles/leather

    $24.1B

  2. Mixed freight

    $17.7B

  3. Electronics

    $14.2B

In 2015, the top outbound Maryland product (by dollars) was Textiles/leather with $24.1B, followed by Mixed freight with $17.7B and Electronics and $14.2B.

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Maryland products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Maryland state.

$180B

2015 Value

$243B

Projected 2045 Value

35.1% growth

In 2015, total outbound Maryland trade was $180B. This is expected to increase 35.1% to $243B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Maryland trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Maryland to other states, or from other states to Maryland.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Virginia

    $24B

  2. Pennsylvania

    $18.2B

  3. New York

    $6.71B

In 2015, the top outbound Maryland domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Virginia with $24B, followed by Pennsylvania with $18.2B and New York and $6.71B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Maryland shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

94.4% of the population of Dorchester County, MD has health coverage, with 39.2% on employee plans, 25.6% on Medicaid, 14.8% on Medicare, 13.1% on non-group plans, and 1.69% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Dorchester County, MD was $8,602 in 2014. This is a 4.27% increase from the previous year ($8,250).

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, MD see 2944 patients per year on average, which represents a 17.5% increase from the previous year (2506 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1792 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 474 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Dorchester County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (15.8%). Additionally, Somerset County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (44.7%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2944 to 1

Primary Care Physicians

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, MD see an average of 2944 patients per year. This represents a 17.5% increase from the previous year (2506 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$8,602

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,343

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,677

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$12,000

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Maryland (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.27%, from $8,250 to $8,602.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

5.61%

Uninsured

39.2%

Employer Coverage

25.6%

Medicaid

14.8%

Medicare

13.1%

Non-Group

1.69%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dorchester County, MD declined by 13.8% from 6.5% to 5.61%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Dorchester County

    15.8% prevalence

  2. Allegany County

    13.7% prevalence

  3. Somerset County

    13.4% prevalence

Dorchester County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Maryland, at 15.8%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Maryland by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Dorchester County, MD is home to a population of 32.4k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2017, 3.64% of Dorchester County, MD residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Dorchester County, MD is composed of 20.7k White Alone residents (63.8%), 8.69k Black or African American Alone residents (26.8%), 1.62k Hispanic or Latino residents (4.99%), 1.03k Two or More Races residents (3.19%), 325 Asian Alone residents (1%), 27 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.0834%), 20 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0618%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Dorchester County, MD are Spanish or Spanish Creole (1,076 speakers), Thai (88 speakers), and German (79 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

44

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

45

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 3.6

In 2017, the median age of all people in Dorchester County, MD was 44.4. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Dorchester County, MD are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Dorchester County, MD residents was 44.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

3.64%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

3.97%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 3.64% of Dorchester County, MD residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Dorchester County, MD was 3.97%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. El Salvador

    107,722 ± 7,985 people

  2. India

    58,285 ± 5,898 people

  3. China

    42,414 ± 5,038 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Dorchester County, MD was El Salvador, the natal country of 107,722 Dorchester County, MD residents, followed by India with 58,285 and China with 42,414.

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Citizenship

97.8%

2017 Citizenship

97.5%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.8% of Dorchester County, MD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Dorchester County, MD was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    20.7k ± 39

  2. Black or African American Alone

    8.69k ± 221

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    1.62k ± 412

In 2017, there were 2.38 times more White Alone residents (20.7k people) in Dorchester County, MD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.69k Black or African American Alone and 1.62k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    1,076 speakers (3.53%)

  2. Thai

    88 speakers (0.289%)

  3. German

    79 speakers (0.259%)

5.51% of Dorchester County, MD citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Dorchester County, MD was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 3.53% of the overall population of Dorchester County, MD are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 0.289% speak Thai and 0.259% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    856 ± 167

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    425 ± 112

  3. Korea

    199 ± 61

Dorchester County, MD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.01 times greater than any other conflict.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Dorchester County, MD was $179,300 in 2017, which is 0.824 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $188,100 to $179,300, a 4.68% decrease. The homeownership rate in Dorchester County, MD is 65.8%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Dorchester County, MD have an average commute time of 25.6 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Dorchester County, MD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$50,532

Median Household Income

± $3,733

12.9k

Number of Households

± 663

In 2017, the median household income of the 12.9k households in Dorchester County, MD grew to $50,532 from the previous year's value of $47,907.

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.

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Housing

Property Value

$179,300

2017 Median

± $7,681

$188,100

2016 Median

± $6,248

In 2017, the median property value in Dorchester County, MD declined from to $179,300 from the previous year's value of $188,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Dorchester County, MD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Dorchester County, MD the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Dorchester County, MD 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 $800 - $1,499 range.

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Rent vs Own

65.8%

2017 Homeownership

65.3%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 65.8% of the housing units in Dorchester County, MD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.3%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Dorchester County, MD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

25.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dorchester County, MD have a longer commute time (25.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 4.27% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    78.4%

  2. Carpooled

    14.9%

  3. Worked At Home

    2.56%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Dorchester County, MD was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home.

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