Dorchester County, Maryland Demographics 2026

Name: Dorchester County, Maryland Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Dorchester County, Maryland has a population of 32,754, the 21st most populous county in Maryland. The median household income is $61,839 and the median home value is $262,400. The poverty rate is 17.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Dorchester County Quick Facts

Population 32,754

Median Household Income $61,839

Median Home Value $262,400

Poverty Rate 17.1%

Unemployment Rate 5.7%

Median Age 43.5 years

Homeownership Rate 65.6%

Affordability Ratio 4.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.4%

High School Graduation 86.3%

Cities/Places 14

Population 32,754 21st of 24

Median Income $61,839 40% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.1%

Unemployment 5.7%

How Dorchester County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	32,612	32,754	+0.4%
Median household income	$60,495	$61,839	+2.2%
Median home value	$252,300	$262,400	+4.0%

Median Household Income

Dorchester

$61,839

$103,678

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Dorchester

$262,400

$419,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.2%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 29.4%

$100K+ 29.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.4%

$10K-$15K

5.0%

$15K-$20K

4.5%

$20K-$25K

3.3%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

6.0%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.2%

$60K-$75K

10.3%

$75K-$100K

12.0%

$100K-$125K

7.6%

$125K-$150K

6.4%

$150K-$200K

8.9%

$200K+

6.7%

Employment

5.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

58.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 65.6%

Renter 34.4%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,032/mo 20.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.0%

18-34

18.3%

35-54

22.6%

55-74

28.6%

75+

9.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 68 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Dorchester County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Cambridge	13,152	$47,323	26.4%	$257,900
Hurlock	2,819	$58,511	18.2%	$202,700
Algonquin	1,074	$76,500	10.7%	$342,600
Secretary	635	$82,721	5.5%	$172,000
Vienna	382	$100,313	6.9%	$229,400
East New Market	246	$42,917	27.6%	$268,100
Fishing Creek	207	N/A	0.0%	$275,000
Church Creek	135	$61,750	14.1%	$266,200
Madison	133	N/A	24.0%	N/A
Taylors Island	127	N/A	0.0%	$476,000
Galestown	114	N/A	14.0%	$246,400
Brookview	33	N/A	21.2%	N/A
Eldorado	30	$51,563	0.0%	$183,300
Elliott	10	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Maryland Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Dorchester County is located in Maryland with a total population of 32,754. It is the 21st most populous county out of 24 in Maryland. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dorchester County is 43.5 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dorchester County is $61,839. This is 40% lower than the state median of $103,678. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.1%. This is 81% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.7%. This is 17% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $262,400. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 65.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dorchester County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 24.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.1%) is well below the state average of 12.5%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.5%.

Education

19.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 43.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dorchester County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Maryland and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dorchester County, Maryland?

Dorchester County has a population of 32,754, making it the 21st most populous county in Maryland.

What is the median income in Dorchester County?

The median household income in Dorchester County is $61,839 with a poverty rate of 17.1%.

How many cities are in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Dorchester County contains 14 Census-designated places.