Dorchester County, SC

County

2024 Population

167,201

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

0.264% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

11.4%

1.22% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$78,198

1.69% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$329,300

Population & Diversity

Dorchester County, SC is home to a population of 167k people, from which 97.5% are citizens.

As of 2024, 5.48% of Dorchester County, SC residents were born outside of the country (9.16k people).

In 2024, there were 2.44 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (101k people) in Dorchester County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 41.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 5.91k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.5%

2024 Citizenship

96.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.5% of Dorchester County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Dorchester County, SC was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Dorchester County, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
101k ± 625
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
41.6k ± 1.02k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
5.91k ± 995

7.21%

Hispanic Population

12.1k people

7.21% of the people in Dorchester County, SC are hispanic (12.1k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Dorchester County, SC 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 South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
65,146 ± 6,228 people
India
21,511 ± 3,594 people
Colombia
15,785 ± 3,080 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 65,146 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 21,511 and Colombia with 15,785.

Foreign-Born Population

5.48%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

9.16k people

6.33%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

10.4k people

As of 2024, 5.48% of Dorchester County, SC residents (9.16k 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, SC was 6.33%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
5,812 ± 903
Vietnam
3,024 ± 377
Gulf War (1990s)
2,750 ± 415

Dorchester County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.92 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

89.8% of the population of Dorchester County, SC has health coverage, with 43.8% on employee plans, 15.8% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 15.8% on non-group plans, and 3.66% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, SC see 3,141 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,141 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1308 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 669 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,141 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Dorchester County, SC

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, SC see an average of 3,141 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,141 patients).

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

Location of Health Services Facilities

Health Service Type

Top 5 Health Facilities Servicing the Greatest Number of Addresses

Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4001
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4002
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4003
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4004
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4005

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 19.3% between 18 and 34 years, 39.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.2%

Uninsured

43.8%

Employer Coverage

15.8%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

15.8%

Non-Group

3.66%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dorchester County, SC declined by 9.61% from 11.3% to 10.2%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.48 in Dorchester County, SC.

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

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 36.4% in Dorchester County, SC.

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

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 10.4% in Dorchester County, SC.

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

Economy

The economy of Dorchester County, SC employs 79.9k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Dorchester County, SC were Health Care & Social Assistance (10,691 people), Manufacturing (9,392 people), and Retail Trade (9,336 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($79,000), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,727), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,644).

Employment

Occupations

79.9k

2024 Value

± 2,755

2.04%

1 Year growth

± 4.73%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dorchester County, SC grew at a rate of 2.04%, from 78.3k employees to 79.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dorchester County, SC, are Management Occupations (8,989 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,812 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (7,206 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Dorchester County, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (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

79.9k

2024 Value

± 2,755

2.04%

1 Year growth

± 4.73%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Dorchester County, SC grew at a rate of 2.04%, from 78.3k employees to 79.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dorchester County, SC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (10,691 people), Manufacturing (9,392 people), and Retail Trade (9,336 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Dorchester County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Dorchester County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$57,714

Median earning men ± $2,551

$39,382

Median earning women ± $1,606

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($80,984), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($71,838), and Public Administration ($71,365).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,204), Manufacturing ($50,214), and Public Administration ($49,617).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% 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 13.4%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

230
Construction
198
Other Services (except Public Administration)
183
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

$352k
Manufacturing
$196k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$163k
Retail Trade

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

Education

The student population of Dorchester County, SC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 3 male students and 97 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Dorchester County, SC are Black or African American (34 and 53.1%), White (18 and 28.1%), Hispanic or Latino (6 and 9.38%), and Asian (2 and 3.13%).

The largest universities in Dorchester County, SC by number of degrees awarded are Charleston Cosmetology Institute (64 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Dorchester County, SC are General Cosmetology (25 and 39.1%), Nail Specialist & Manicurist (21 and 32.8%), and Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (18 and 28.1%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 100 students enrolled in Dorchester County, SC, 3% men and 97% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 54 records, of which 94.4% were women and 5.56% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Nail Specialist & Manicurist
21 degrees awarded
Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist
18 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years recipients in Dorchester County, SC was Nail Specialist & Manicurist with 21 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years from schools in Dorchester County, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Charleston Cosmetology Institute

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

64 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Charleston Cosmetology Institute with 64 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 2 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Dorchester County, SC, which is 0.0323 times less than the 62 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 34 degrees mean that there were 1.89 times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 18 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Dorchester County, SC was $329,300 in 2024, which is 0.99 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $294,400 to $329,300, a 11.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Dorchester County, SC is 75.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Dorchester County, SC have an average commute time of 31.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Dorchester County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Dorchester County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.882%.

Housing

Property

$329,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,472

$47,721

Median Property Taxes

±$1,949

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, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

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

Rent vs Own

75.5%

Homeownership

2024

70.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 75.5% of the housing units in Dorchester County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Dorchester County, SC 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.

$78,198

Median Household Income

± $3,042

63.2k

Number of Households

± 2,405

In 2024, the median household income of the 63.2k households in Dorchester County, SC grew to $78,198 from the previous year's value of $76,896.

The following chart displays the households in Dorchester County, SC 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, SC is from South Carolina.

0.462

2024 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.464

2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2024, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.296% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (77.9%)
Worked At Home (11.2%)
Carpooled (8.01%)

In 2024, 77.9% of workers in Dorchester County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.2%) and those who carpooled to work (8.01%).

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

31.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dorchester County, SC have a longer commute time (31.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.03% of the workforce in Dorchester County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Dorchester County, SC 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, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Dorchester County, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Dorchester County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.882%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

11.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dorchester County, SC (18.8k out of 165k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 6 - 11.

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

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 12.8% of the children was living in poverty in Dorchester County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.1%.

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

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

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 461 in Dorchester County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 41.5% per 100,000 population.

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

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