Dorchester County, SC

County

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2021 Population

160,180

0.7% 1-year decline

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

37.8

1.61% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

12%

0.309% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$68,046

7.16% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$228,700

7.37% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Dorchester County, SC had a population of 160k people with a median age of 37.8 and a median household income of $68,046. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Dorchester County, SC declined from 161,309 to 160,180, a −0.7% decrease and its median household income grew from $63,501 to $68,046, a 7.16% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Dorchester County, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (63%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (24.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.34%), White (Hispanic) (2.44%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.94%).

None of the households in Dorchester County, SC 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.

96.6% of the residents in Dorchester County, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Dorchester County, SC are Charleston Cosmetology Institute (71 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in Dorchester County, SC was $228,700, and the homeownership rate was 73.3%.

Most people in Dorchester County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Dorchester County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Dorchester County, SC borders Berkeley County, SC, Charleston County, SC, Colleton County, SC, and Orangeburg County, SC.

United States South Carolina Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Population & Diversity

Dorchester County, SC is home to a population of 160k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 6.03% of Dorchester County, SC residents were born outside of the country (9.67k people).

In 2021, there were 2.57 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (101k people) in Dorchester County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 39.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 5.35k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

96.6%

2021 Citizenship

97.1%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.6% of Dorchester County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Dorchester County, SC was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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 ± 544
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
39.2k ± 987
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
5.35k ± 1.06k

5.88%

Hispanic Population

9.41k people

5.88% of the people in Dorchester County, SC are hispanic (9.41k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Dorchester County, SC as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

6.03%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

9.67k people

5.57%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

8.98k people

As of 2021, 6.03% of Dorchester County, SC residents (9.67k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Dorchester County, SC was 5.57%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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-)
5,207 ± 687
Vietnam
3,552 ± 399
Gulf War (1990s)
3,383 ± 463

Dorchester County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Dorchester County, SC employs 75.7k people. The largest industries in Dorchester County, SC are Manufacturing (9,887 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,581 people), and Retail Trade (8,892 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($74,375), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($61,122), and Manufacturing ($57,620).

Employment

Occupations

75.7k

2021 Value

± 2,578

1.18%

1 Year growth

± 4.71%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Dorchester County, SC grew at a rate of 1.18%, from 74.8k employees to 75.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Dorchester County, SC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,089 people), Management Occupations (8,494 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (7,431 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 false.

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

75.7k

2021 Value

± 2,578

1.18%

1 Year growth

± 4.71%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Dorchester County, SC grew at a rate of 1.18%, from 74.8k employees to 75.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Dorchester County, SC, are Manufacturing (9,887 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,581 people), and Retail Trade (8,892 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

$50,842

Median earning men ± $2,852

$34,308

Median earning women ± $1,675

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($74,432), Public Administration ($69,917), and Information ($68,581).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($52,742), Manufacturing ($48,910), and Public Administration ($47,131).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

964
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
632
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
564
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

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

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $39.9B, followed by Plastics/rubber ($29.5B) and Machinery ($26.9B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina.

$273B

2020 Value in South Carolina

$613B

Projected 2050 Value in South Carolina

124% growth

In 2020, total outbound South Carolina trade was $273B. This is expected to increase 124% to $613B by 2050.

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

Interstate Trade

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

Most Common Trade Partners

North Carolina
$28.9B
Georgia
$21.4B
Texas
$10.9B

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $28.9B, followed by Georgia with $21.4B and Texas and $10.9B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Dorchester County, SC went to Donald J. Trump with 54.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.58%).

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (54.2%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.8%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.58%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Dorchester County, SC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Carolina

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

Lindsey Graham

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 2, 2013
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

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 South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from South Carolina

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for South Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Dorchester County, SC awarded 71 degrees. The student population of Dorchester County, SC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 2 male students and 114 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Dorchester County, SC are Black or African American (46 and 64.8%), followed by White (11 and 15.5%), Hispanic or Latino (6 and 8.45%), and Asian (4 and 5.63%).

The largest universities in Dorchester County, SC by number of degrees awarded are Charleston Cosmetology Institute (71 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Dorchester County, SC are Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (35 and 49.3%), General Cosmetology (18 and 25.4%), and Nail Specialist & Manicurist (18 and 25.4%).

Completions

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.829% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.722% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (890k), and Bachelors Degree (688k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Dorchester County, SC was $228,700 in 2021, which is 0.934 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $213,000 to $228,700, a 7.37% increase. The homeownership rate in Dorchester County, SC is 73.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Dorchester County, SC have an average commute time of 30.8 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.

Median household income in Dorchester County, SC is $68,046. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Dorchester County, SC was Census Tract 108.01 with a value of $124,485, followed by Census Tract 108.19 and Census Tract 106.04, with respective values of $120,028 and $89,792.

Property

$228,700

Median Property Value 2021

±$4,917

$42,726

Median Property Taxes

±$1,752

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 $800 - $1,499 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

73.3%

Homeownership

2021

70.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 73.3% of the housing units in Dorchester County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 72.5%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 108.01
Census Tract 108.19
Census Tract 106.04

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Dorchester County, SC was Census Tract 108.01 with a value of $124,485, followed by Census Tract 108.19 and Census Tract 106.04, with respective values of $120,028 and $89,792.

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

Household Income

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

$68,046

Median Household Income

± $2,623

58.3k

Number of Households

± 2,328

In 2021, the median household income of the 58.3k households in Dorchester County, SC grew to $68,046 from the previous year's value of $63,501.

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.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.462

2020 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.122% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2021

Drove Alone (83.6%)
Carpooled (7.06%)
Worked At Home (6.75%)

In 2021, 83.6% of workers in Dorchester County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.06%) and those who worked at home (6.75%).

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

30.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Dorchester County, SC have a longer commute time (30.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.55% 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

Poverty & Diversity

12% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Dorchester County, SC (18.9k out of 158k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Dorchester County, SC 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.

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.

Health

88.9% of the population of Dorchester County, SC has health coverage, with 45.8% on employee plans, 14.2% on Medicaid, 10% on Medicare, 14.6% on non-group plans, and 4.23% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, SC see 3072 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.26% increase from the previous year (2975 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1480 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 778 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,072 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Dorchester County, SC

Primary care physicians in Dorchester County, SC see an average of 3,072 patients per year. This represents a 3.26% increase from the previous year (2,975 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26% under 18 years, 19.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.1%

Uninsured

45.8%

Employer Coverage

14.2%

Medicaid

10%

Medicare

14.6%

Non-Group

4.23%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Dorchester County, SC grew by 6.97% from 10.4% to 11.1%.

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 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 51.6 in Dorchester County, SC.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 38.5% in Dorchester County, SC.

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

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