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Dorchester County, South Carolina (SC)

County population in 2016: 153,773 (81% urban, 19% rural); it was 96,413 in 2000
County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 27,770
County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 8,303
County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 26,027
Renter-occupied apartments: 14,186 (it was 8,682 in 2000)
% of renters here:

25%
State:

31%

Land area: 575 sq. mi.

Water area: 2.0 sq. mi.

Population density: 268 people per square mile   (high).

Mar. 2016 cost of living index in Dorchester County: 93.1 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)

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Industries providing employment: Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services (26.1%), Educational, health and social services (16.1%), Retail trade (15.6%).

Type of workers:

  • Private wage or salary: 65%
  • Government: 11%
  • Self-employed, not incorporated: 23%
  • Unpaid family work: 2%
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Dorchester County races chart

Races in Dorchester County, South Carolina:

  • White Non-Hispanic Alone (64.7%)
  • Black Non-Hispanic Alone (24.6%)
  • Hispanic or Latino (5.0%)
  • Two or more races (2.8%)
  • Asian alone (2.0%)
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone (0.5%)
  • Some other race alone (0.4%)
Median resident age:  36.3 years
South Carolina median age:  39.1 years
Males: 75,358  (49.0%)
Females: 78,415  (51.0%)
Dorchester County, SC forum
Recent posts about Dorchester County, South Carolina on our local forum with over 2,000,000 registered users. Dorchester County is mentioned 700 times on our forum:
New lawsuit in Dorchester County alleges Opioid Drug Ring  (2 replies)
Dorchester county outdated rule on copper landline required for pool emergencies  (15 replies)
Dorchester County Senior Tax Work-Off Program  (0 replies)
Summerville west ashley or mt p  (55 replies)
Question about the Partisan Divide in Charleston  (151 replies)
Charleston Metro Area Construction  (3882 replies)

Dorchester County,SC real estate house value trend

Average household size:
Dorchester County:

2.0 people
South Carolina:

2 people
Estimated median household income in 2016: $57,637 ($43,316 in 1999)

This county:

$57,637
South Carolina:

$49,501

Median contract rent in 2016 for apartments: $865 (lower quartile is $700, upper quartile is $1,021)
This county:

$865
State:

$653


Estimated median house or condo value in 2016: $180,300 (it was $92,200 in 2000)
Dorchester:

$180,300
South Carolina:

$153,900
Lower value quartile - upper value quartile: $129,000 - $248,500

Mean price in 2016:

Detached houses: $226,372
Here:

$226,372
State:

$236,970

Townhouses or other attached units: $55,025
Here:

$55,025
State:

$189,206

In 3-to-4-unit structures: $91,885
Here:

$91,885
State:

$145,218

In 5-or-more-unit structures: $193,268
Here:

$193,268
State:

$218,084

Mobile homes: $73,074
Here:

$73,074
State:

$71,546
Median monthly housing costs for homes and condos with a mortgage: $1,386
Median monthly housing costs for units without a mortgage: $441

Institutionalized population: 1,948

Crime in 2004 (reported by the sheriff's office or county police, not the county total):

  • Murders: 4
  • Rapes: 27
  • Robberies: 46
  • Assaults: 265
  • Burglaries: 461
  • Thefts: 1074
  • Auto thefts: 153
Dorchester County, SC map from a distance

Single-family new house construction building permits:

  • 2004: 1557 buildings, average cost: $143,800
  • 2005: 1924 buildings, average cost: $157,100
  • 2006: 1370 buildings, average cost: $185,600
  • 2007: 1007 buildings, average cost: $202,500
  • 2008: 605 buildings, average cost: $216,600
  • 2009: 515 buildings, average cost: $217,100
  • 2010: 520 buildings, average cost: $233,900
  • 2011: 469 buildings, average cost: $246,400
  • 2012: 642 buildings, average cost: $242,000
  • 2013: 609 buildings, average cost: $243,300
  • 2014: 794 buildings, average cost: $249,000

Number of permits per 10,000 residents

Average cost (in $1000s)

Presidential Elections Results

1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

1996 Presidential Elections Results

2000 Presidential Elections Results

2004 Presidential Elections Results

2008 Presidential Elections Results

2012 Presidential Elections Results

2016 Presidential Elections Results

Graphs represent county-level data. Detailed 2008 Election Results

Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2016: $1,348 (0.7%)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2016: $941 (0.6%)

Dorchester County household income distribution in 2009 Dorchester County home values distribution Dorchester County contract rent distribution in 2009
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2016: 7.9%
Dorchester County:

7.9%
South Carolina:

15.3%
(4.8% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 21.2% for Black residents, 14.4% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 18.4% for American Indian residents, 32.8% for other race residents, 15.5% for two or more races residents)

Median age of residents in 2016: 36.3 years old
(Males: 35.2 years old, Females: 38.4 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 39.9 years old, Black residents: 35.5 years old, American Indian residents: 35.6 years old, Asian residents: 32.8 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 32.9 years old, Other race residents: 24.5 years old)

Area name: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Dorchester County is $586 a month.
Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $663 a month.
Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $864 a month.

Cities in this county include: Summerville, St. George, Ridgeville, Harleyville, Reevesville.

Dorchester County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Low Potential

Click to draw/clear Dorchester County borders

Neighboring counties: Choctaw County, Mississippi , Clay County, Mississippi , Coosa County, Alabama , Hampton County , St. Clair County, Alabama , Hopkins County, Texas .

Unemployment in September 2015:
Here:

5.3%
South Carolina:

5.8%

Unemployment by year (%)

County total employment by year

County average yearly wages by year ($)

Current college students: 4,471
People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 87.9%
People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 29.1%

Number of foreign born residents: 5,932 (63.1% naturalized citizens)

Dorchester County:

3.9%
Whole state:

4.8%

Year of entry for the foreign-born population

  • 2010 or later: 903
  • 2000 to 2009: 1,921
  • 1990 to 1999: 1,776
  • 1980 to 1989: 469
  • 1970 to 1979: 481
  • Before 1970: 802
Note: State values scaled to Dorchester County population

Mean travel time to work (commute): 28.0 minutes

Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 37.4%

Dorchester County marital status for males Dorchester County marital status for females

Housing units in structures:

  • One, detached: 39,805
  • One, attached: 2,662
  • Two: 460
  • 3 or 4: 2,043
  • 5 to 9: 2,567
  • 10 to 19: 4,370
  • 20 to 49: 367
  • 50 or more: 249
  • Mobile homes: 6,740

Housing units in Dorchester County with a mortgage: 27,610 (432 second mortgage, 1,623 home equity loan, 35 both second mortgage and home equity loan)
Houses without a mortgage: 11,299

Here:

71.1% with mortgage
State:

58.1% with mortgage

Religion statistics for Dorchester County

ReligionAdherentsCongregations
Evangelical Protestant25,07590
Mainline Protestant16,77543
Catholic7,9262
Black Protestant4,72224
Other1,6536
Orthodox751
None80,329-
Dorchester County Religion Details
Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.

Food Environment Statistics:

Number of grocery stores: 16
Dorchester County:

1.30 / 10,000 pop.
State:

1.99 / 10,000 pop.

Number of supercenters and club stores: 1
Here:

0.08 / 10,000 pop.
South Carolina:

0.15 / 10,000 pop.

Number of convenience stores (no gas): 2
This county:

0.16 / 10,000 pop.
South Carolina:

0.85 / 10,000 pop.

Number of convenience stores (with gas): 43
Dorchester County:

3.49 / 10,000 pop.
South Carolina:

5.38 / 10,000 pop.

Number of full-service restaurants: 55
This county:

4.46 / 10,000 pop.
State:

7.75 / 10,000 pop.

Adult diabetes rate:
Dorchester County:

9.6%
South Carolina:

10.6%

Adult obesity rate:
Dorchester County:

31.1%
State:

29.4%

Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Here:

12.6%
State:

13.4%

Agriculture in Dorchester County:

Average size of farms: 158 acres
Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $34,684
Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $145.68
The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 79.19%
Average total farm production expenses per farm: $38,103
Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 31.30%
Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $53,131
The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 89.04%
Average age of principal farm operators: 56 years
Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 7.46
Corn for grain: 6860 harvested acres
All wheat for grain: 435 harvested acres
Upland cotton: 3653 harvested acres
Soybeans for beans: 2963 harvested acres
Vegetables: 147 harvested acres
Land in orchards: 156 acres

Earthquake activity:

Dorchester County-area historical earthquake activity is slightly below South Carolina state average. It is 87% smaller than the overall U.S. average.

On 11/22/1974 at 05:25:55, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 MB, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 14.5 miles away from Dorchester County center
On 8/21/1992 at 16:31:55, a magnitude 4.4 (4.1 MB, 4.1 LG, 4.4 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi) earthquake occurred 12.3 miles away from the county center
On 8/2/1974 at 08:52:09, a magnitude 4.9 (4.3 MB, 4.9 LG) earthquake occurred 137.2 miles away from the county center
On 11/11/2002 at 23:39:29, a magnitude 4.4 (4.0 MB, 4.4 LG, Depth: 1.5 mi) earthquake occurred 49.8 miles away from the county center
On 4/17/1995 at 13:45:57, a magnitude 3.9 (3.9 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 16.5 miles away from Dorchester County center
On 4/13/1998 at 09:56:11, a magnitude 3.9 (3.5 MB, 3.9 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 108.6 miles away from the county center
Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB)

Most recent natural disasters:

  • South Carolina Hurricane Matthew, Incident Period: October 04, 2016 to October 30, 2016, Emergency Declared EM-3378: October 06, 2016, FEMA Id: 3378, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
  • South Carolina Hurricane Matthew, Incident Period: October 04, 2016 to October 30, 2016, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4286: October 11, 2016, FEMA Id: 4286, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
  • South Carolina Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: October 01, 2015 to October 23, 2015, Emergency Declared EM-3373: October 03, 2015, FEMA Id: 3373, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
  • South Carolina Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: October 01, 2015 to October 23, 2015, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4241: October 05, 2015, FEMA Id: 4241, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
  • South Carolina Severe Winter Storm, Incident Period: February 10, 2014 to February 19, 2014, Emergency Declared EM-3369: February 12, 2014, FEMA Id: 3369, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
  • South Carolina Severe Winter Storm, Incident Period: February 10, 2014 to February 15, 2014, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4166: March 12, 2014, FEMA Id: 4166, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
  • South Carolina Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 01, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3233: September 10, 2005, FEMA Id: 3233, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
  • South Carolina Winter Storms, Incident Period: January 22, 2000 to February 01, 2000, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1313: January 31, 2000, FEMA Id: 1313, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
  • South Carolina Hurricane Floyd, Incident Period: September 14, 1999 to September 30, 1999, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1299: September 21, 1999, FEMA Id: 1299, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
  • South Carolina Hurricane Floyd, Incident Period: September 14, 1999 to September 25, 1999, Emergency Declared EM-3145: September 15, 1999, FEMA Id: 3145, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
  • 1 other natural disasters have been reported since 1953.

The number of natural disasters in Dorchester County (11) is near the US average (13).
Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 6
Emergencies Declared: 5

Causes of natural disasters: Hurricanes: 6, Winter Storms: 3, Floods: 2, Storms: 2 (Note: Some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).

Class of Workers in 2016 (%)

Most common industries in 2016 (%)
Males Females
  • Health care and social assistance (24%)
  • Educational services (15%)
  • Retail trade (12%)
  • Accommodation and food services (6%)
  • Other services, except public administration (5%)
  • Manufacturing (5%)
  • Public administration (5%)
  • Health care and social assistance (27%)
  • Educational services (17%)
  • Retail trade (14%)
  • Accommodation and food services (6%)
  • Other services, except public administration (6%)
  • Manufacturing (6%)
  • Public administration (5%)
Most common occupations in 2016 (%)
Males Females
  • Management occupations (11%)
  • Production occupations (11%)
  • Construction and extraction occupations (11%)
  • Sales and related occupations (9%)
  • Architecture and engineering occupations (8%)
  • Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (6%)
  • Transportation occupations (6%)
  • Office and administrative support occupations (22%)
  • Management occupations (10%)
  • Education, training, and library occupations (9%)
  • Sales and related occupations (9%)
  • Health diagnosing and treating practitioners and other technical occupations (9%)
  • Business and financial operations occupations (7%)
  • Health technologists and technicians (6%)

Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):

  • Mexico (17%)
  • Philippines (13%)
  • England (5%)
  • Germany (5%)
  • Vietnam (5%)
  • China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (4%)
  • Canada (4%)

Most common first ancestries reported in Dorchester County (%):

  • American (20%)
  • German (6%)
  • Irish (5%)
  • English (4%)
  • Italian (2%)
  • European (1%)
  • Scotch-Irish (1%)

Dorchester County mode of transportation to work chart

Means of transportation to work:

  • Drove a car alone: 33,791 (80.8%)
  • Carpooled: 3,881 (9.3%)
  • Bus or trolley bus: 135 (0.3%)
  • Taxicab, motorcycle, or other means: 381 (0.9%)
  • Bicycle: 136 (0.3%)
  • Walked: 659 (1.6%)
  • Worked at home: 2,989 (7.1%)

Owners and renters by unit type in %

Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders ($)


People in group quarters in Dorchester County, South Carolina in 2000:

  • 1,127 people in state prisons
  • 470 people in nursing homes
  • 209 people in homes for the mentally retarded
  • 111 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
  • 108 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
  • 21 people in homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse
  • 20 people in other nonhousehold living situations
  • 14 people in other group homes
  • 5 people in other workers' dormitories
  • 3 people in homes for the physically handicapped

People in group quarters in Dorchester County, South Carolina in 2010:

  • 1,385 people in state prisons
  • 250 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
  • 216 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
  • 61 people in residential treatment centers for juveniles (non-correctional)
  • 36 people in group homes for juveniles (non-correctional)
  • 30 people in group homes intended for adults
  • 18 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness
  • 15 people in residential treatment centers for adults
  • 4 people in other noninstitutional facilities
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2010 was $52,375.

11.07% of this county's 2011 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2010 ($39,474 average adjusted gross income)

Here:

11.07%
South Carolina average:

6.90%


0.15% of residents moved from foreign countries ($661 average AGI)
Dorchester County:

0.15%
South Carolina average:

0.07%

6.48% relocated from other counties in South Carolina ($18,216 average AGI)
4.45% relocated from other states ($20,597 average AGI)
Dorchester County:

4.45%
South Carolina average:

3.58%

Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries


Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2010 and 2011:
from Charleston County, SC  3.34% ($30,599 average AGI)
from Berkeley County, SC  1.86% ($31,271)
from Colleton County, SC  0.22% ($30,870)
from Orangeburg County, SC  0.18% ($28,407)
from Richland County, SC  0.15% ($33,247)
from Greenville County, SC  0.09% ($30,977)
from Snohomish County, WA  0.08% ($138,700)


9.97% of this county's 2010 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2011 ($36,238 average adjusted gross income)

Here:

9.97%
South Carolina average:

6.53%


0.17% of residents moved to foreign countries ($809 average AGI)
Dorchester County:

0.17%
South Carolina average:

0.09%

6.03% relocated to other counties in South Carolina ($19,911 average AGI)
3.77% relocated to other states ($15,518 average AGI)
Dorchester County:

3.77%
South Carolina average:

3.18%

Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries


Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2010 and 2011:
to Charleston County, SC  2.62% ($32,712 average AGI)
to Berkeley County, SC  2.15% ($33,147)
to Colleton County, SC  0.24% ($27,059)
to Orangeburg County, SC  0.17% ($25,365)
to Richland County, SC  0.14% ($32,479)
to Mecklenburg County, NC  0.10% ($33,041)
to Lexington County, SC  0.09% ($37,217)

Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 14.9
Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 13.4
Births per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 1.6

Births per 1000 population in Dorchester County

Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 6.8
Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 7.1
Deaths per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 6.3

Deaths per 1000 population in Dorchester County

Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 8.4
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 7.4

Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Dorchester County

Population without health insurance coverage in 2013: 16.9%
Persons under 19 years old without health insurance coverage in 2013: 6.6%
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Dorchester County
All 18-64 40-64 50-64 Under 19

Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Dorchester County


Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2007: 14,962 (11,554 aged, 3,408 disabled)
Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2007: 4,544 (13%)

Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)

Aged persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)

Disabled persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)

Most common underlying causes of death in Dorchester County, South Carolina in 1999 - 2014:

  • Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified (882)
  • Bronchus or lung, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (855)
  • Atherosclerotic heart disease (650)
  • Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction (588)
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified (547)
  • Alzheimer's disease, unspecified (325)
  • Unspecified dementia (307)
  • Congestive heart failure (243)
  • Colon, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (222)
  • Unspecified diabetes mellitus, without complications (215)

Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 13%
Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 10%

Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 0.93
Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 5,103
Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 75
Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 30,027

General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,359
Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 649
Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 5

Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 43
Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 62

Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 10

Homicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 49.0. This is less than state average.

Mechanisms of homicide:

Deaths per 1,000,000 population:
  • Firearm - 31.3
  • Other - 17.7

Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 107.5. This is less than state average.

Mechanisms of suicide:

Deaths per 1,000,000 population:
  • Firearm - 58.5
  • Suffocation - 31.3
  • Other - 17.7

Household type by relationship:

Households: 153,773
  • In family households: 131,458 (18,550 male householders, 19,030 female householders)
    27,271 spouses, 51,545 children (45,859 natural, 2,488 adopted, 3,198 stepchildren), 5,577 grandchildren, 998 brothers or sisters, 2,712 parents, 2,643 other relatives, 3,132 non-relatives
  • In nonfamily households: 20,430 (7,954 male householders (6,740 living alone)), 9,790 female householders (9,017 living alone)), 2,686 nonrelatives
  • In group quarters: 1,885

Size of family households: 17,082 2-persons, 8,919 3-persons, 6,272 4-persons, 3,270 5-persons, 1,419 6-persons, 618 7-or-more-persons.

Size of nonfamily households: 15,757 1-person, 1,791 2-persons, 196 3-persons.

23,238 married couples with children.
10,514 single-parent households (2,032 men, 8,482 women).

93.2% of residents of Dorchester speak English at home.
3.3% of residents speak Spanish at home (63% speak English very well, 18% speak English well, 16% speak English not well, 3% don't speak English at all).
1.4% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (81% speak English very well, 12% speak English well, 7% speak English not well).
1.5% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (59% speak English very well, 31% speak English well, 10% speak English not well).
0.2% of residents speak other language at home (72% speak English very well, 28% speak English not well).

In fiscal year 2004:

Federal Government expenditure: $504,666,000 ($4,716 per capita)
Department of Defense expenditure: $109,151,000
Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $303,569,000
Federal other direct payments to individuals: $74,203,000
Federal direct payments not to individuals: $1,953,000
Federal grants: $77,410,000
Federal procurement contracts: $35,996,000 ($32,874,000 Department of Defense)
Federal salaries and wages: $11,534,000 ($261,000 Department of Defense)
Federal Government direct loans: $1,233,000
Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $117,472,000
Federal Government insurance: $241,780,000

Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:

Births: 6,817
Here:

60 per 1000 residents
State:

69 per 1000 residents

Deaths: 3,943
Here:

35 per 1000 residents
State:

46 per 1000 residents

Net international migration: +556
Here:

+5 per 1000 residents
State:

+9 per 1000 residents

Net internal migration: +13,319
Here:

+118 per 1000 residents
State:

+27 per 1000 residents

Population growth in Dorchester County

Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 13.16 millions of gallons per day (9% from ground, 91% from surface)

Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:

6.4
State:

6.3

Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:

4.5
State:

4.6

Year house built

  • 2014 or later: 1,396
  • 2010 to 2013: 4,769
  • 2000 to 2009: 17,342
  • 1990 to 1999: 10,230
  • 1980 to 1989: 11,000
  • 1970 to 1979: 8,083
  • 1960 to 1969: 2,458
  • 1950 to 1959: 1,988
  • 1940 to 1949: 799
  • 1939 or earlier: 1,198
Note: State values scaled to Dorchester population
Rooms in houses/apartments in Dorchester County, South Carolina
Owner-occupied Renter-occupied
Note: State values scaled to Dorchester County population
  • 1 room: 0
  • 2 rooms: 0
  • 3 rooms: 414
  • 4 rooms: 2,183
  • 5 rooms: 7,768
  • 6 rooms: 9,630
  • 7 rooms: 6,325
  • 8 rooms: 5,777
  • 9+ rooms: 6,812
  • 1 room: 305
  • 2 rooms: 229
  • 3 rooms: 3,757
  • 4 rooms: 4,080
  • 5 rooms: 3,400
  • 6 rooms: 2,296
  • 7 rooms: 1,256
  • 8 rooms: 590
  • 9+ rooms: 502
Bedrooms in houses/apartments in Dorchester County, South Carolina
Owner-occupied Renter-occupied
Note: State values scaled to Dorchester County population
  • no bedroom: 0
  • 1 bedroom: 294
  • 2 bedrooms: 3,010
  • 3 bedrooms: 22,850
  • 4 bedrooms: 10,033
  • 5+ bedrooms: 2,722
  • no bedroom: 330
  • 1 bedroom: 3,292
  • 2 bedrooms: 6,581
  • 3 bedrooms: 4,079
  • 4 bedrooms: 1,826
  • 5+ bedrooms: 307
Cars and other vehicles available in Dorchester County, South Carolina in houses/condos/apartments
Owner-occupied Renter-occupied
Note: State values scaled to Dorchester County population
  • no vehicle: 999
  • 1 vehicle: 9,773
  • 2 vehicles: 18,340
  • 3 vehicles: 6,727
  • 4 vehicles: 2,359
  • 5+ vehicles: 711
  • no vehicle: 595
  • 1 vehicle: 9,603
  • 2 vehicles: 4,946
  • 3 vehicles: 998
  • 4 vehicles: 273
  • 5+ vehicles: 0

84% of Dorchester County residents lived in the same house 1 years ago.
   Out of people who lived in different houses, 31% lived in this county.
   Out of people who lived in different counties, 63% lived in South Carolina.

Dorchester County:

84.0%
State average:

85.2%

Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:

  • This state: 76,078
  • Other state: 68,750
  • Northeast: 18,334
  • Midwest: 14,517
  • South: 28,950
  • West: 6,949

Year Householders Moved Into Unit

Most commonly used house heating fuel in Dorchester County
Houses and condos Apartments
  • Electricity (75.2%)
  • Utility gas (21.9%)
  • Bottled, tank, or LP gas (2.3%)
  • Wood (0.7%)
  • No fuel used (0.4%)
  • Solar energy (0.1%)
  • Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (0.1%)
  • Electricity (92.1%)
  • Utility gas (7.1%)
  • Bottled, tank, or LP gas (0.9%)
  • No fuel used (0.7%)
  • Wood (0.3%)

Private vs. public school enrollment:


Students in private schools in grades 1 to 8 (elementary and middle school): 1,335
Here:

7.3%
South Carolina:

9.3%

Students in private schools in grades 9 to 12 (high school): 1,123
Here:

10.7%
South Carolina:

8.5%

Students in private undergraduate colleges: 732
Here:

11.7%
South Carolina:

19.2%

Educational Attainment (%)

School Enrollment by Level of School (%)

Age and Sex of Sensory-Disabled Residents (Noninstitutionalized)

Age and Sex of Physically-Disabled Residents (Noninstitutionalized)

Age and Sex of Mentally-Disabled Residents (Noninstitutionalized)

Age and Sex of Self-Care Disabled Residents (Noninstitutionalized)

Age and Sex of Go-Outside-Home Disabled Residents (Noninstitutionalized)

Age and Sex of Residents with Employment Disability (Noninstitutionalized)

Dorchester County government finances - Expenditure in 2006:

  • Construction - Water Utilities: $18,533,000
  • Current Operations - Police Protection: $7,617,000
    Local Fire Protection: $6,081,000
    Judicial and Legal Services: $4,656,000
    Solid Waste Management: $4,357,000
    Sewerage: $3,812,000
    Water Utilities: $3,812,000
    Parks and Recreation: $3,751,000
    Financial Administration: $3,669,000
    Correctional Institutions: $2,923,000
    Regular Highways: $2,610,000
    General Public Buildings: $2,534,000
    General - Other: $2,414,000
    Central Staff Services: $1,201,000
    Protective Inspection and Regulation, NEC: $1,000,000
    Health - Other: $283,000
    Housing and Community Development: $273,000
    Air Transportation: $41,000
  • General - Interest on Debt: $1,803,000
  • Intergovernmental to Local NEC - General - Other: $1,118,000
  • Other Capital Outlay - Police Protection: $131,000
    Housing and Community Development: $101,000
  • Total Salaries and Wages: $22,300,000
  • Water Utilities - Interest on Debt: $741,000

Dorchester County government finances - Revenue in 2006:

  • Charges - All Other: $5,286,000
    Sewerage: $5,004,000
    Solid Waste Management: $4,256,000
  • Federal Intergovernmental - All Other: $1,273,000
  • Local Intergovernmental - All Other: $869,000
  • Miscellaneous - Fines and Forfeits: $2,262,000
    Interest Earnings: $1,043,000
    General Revenue, NEC: $961,000
  • Revenue - Water Utilities: $5,004,000
  • State Intergovernmental - General Local Government Support: $4,054,000
    All Other: $1,178,000
    Highways: $766,000
  • Tax - Property: $23,601,000
    Documentary and Stock Transfer: $2,070,000

Dorchester County government finances - Debt in 2006:

  • Long Term Debt - Outstanding Unspecified Public Purpose: $123,887,000
    Issue, Unspecified Public Purpose: $80,000,000
    Beginning Outstanding - Unspecified Public Purpose: $45,067,000
    Retired Unspecified Public Purpose: $1,180,000

Dorchester County government finances - Cash and Securities in 2006:

  • Bond Funds - Cash and Securities: $78,088,000
  • Other Funds - Cash and Securities: $19,667,000

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in 2006:

  • Total number of recipients: 2,226
  • Number of aged recipients: 207
  • Number of blind and disabled recipients: 2,019
  • Number of recipients under 18: 417
  • Number of recipients between 18 and 64: 1,381
  • Number of recipients older than 64: 428
  • Number of recipients also receiving OASDI: 771
  • Amount of payments (thousands of dollars): 936
Dorchester County Fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 1994
Count Vehicles DUI Fatalities Persons Pedestrians

Fatal accident count (per 100,000 population)

Dorchester County Fatal accident statistics for 1995 - 2014
Count Vehicles DUI Fatalities Persons Pedestrians

Fatal accident count (per 100,000 population)

Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Aggregated Statistics For Year 2009
(Based on 17 full tracts)
A) FHA, FSA/RHS & VA
Home Purchase Loans		B) Conventional
Home Purchase Loans		C) Refinancings
D) Home Improvement Loans
E) Loans on Dwellings For 5+ Families
F) Non-occupant Loans on
< 5 Family Dwellings (A B C & D)		G) Loans On Manufactured
Home Dwelling (A B C & D)
NumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage Value
LOANS ORIGINATED1,404$171,360672$155,1922,977$172,536165$53,8004$4,962,250265$124,736144$55,903
APPLICATIONS APPROVED, NOT ACCEPTED57$163,80745$119,044224$181,67911$46,1820$016$140,00025$55,840
APPLICATIONS DENIED269$167,472161$111,6651,316$175,72186$51,8950$086$112,430111$67,964
APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN201$159,488103$150,097813$180,63630$108,4670$050$127,78018$96,278
FILES CLOSED FOR INCOMPLETENESS50$151,86025$150,880227$176,58610$127,0000$012$171,58312$65,500
Choose year:  2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999
Private Mortgage Insurance Companies Aggregated Statistics For Year 2008
(Based on 17 full tracts)
A) Conventional
Home Purchase Loans		B) Refinancings
C) Non-occupant Loans on
< 5 Family Dwellings (A & B)		D) Loans On Manufactured
Home Dwelling (A & B)
NumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage ValueNumberAverage Value
LOANS ORIGINATED373$188,936186$194,19453$158,1133$129,333
APPLICATIONS APPROVED, NOT ACCEPTED117$198,59895$194,65320$146,4001$129,000
APPLICATIONS DENIED24$184,70816$188,12513$176,5381$86,000
APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN20$209,80020$194,4004$208,0000$0
FILES CLOSED FOR INCOMPLETENESS11$186,8187$175,4296$189,3330$0
Choose year:  2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

Conventional Home Purchase Loans

Conventional Home Purchase Loans - Value

Most common first names in Dorchester County, SC among deceased individuals
NameCountLived (average)
John44970.9 years
James41170.9 years
William37972.0 years
Mary36578.6 years
Robert24168.1 years
Charles19369.0 years
George17971.0 years
Joseph13871.7 years
Thomas13870.4 years
Willie13669.2 years
Most common last names in Dorchester County, SC among deceased individuals
Last nameCountLived (average)
Smith25374.0 years
Williams20971.1 years
Brown18271.6 years
Johnson15370.5 years
Green10371.1 years
Simmons10272.8 years
Jones9971.1 years
White8172.8 years
Murray8174.3 years
Knight8075.0 years
Businesses in Dorchester County, SC
NameCountNameCount
Ace Hardware2Hardee's1
CVS1KFC1
Chevrolet1Lane Furniture1
Comfort Inn1McDonald's1
Dairy Queen1Pizza Hut1
Domino's Pizza1Quality1
Dunkin Donuts1Subway1
Econo Lodge1Super 81
FedEx2True Value1
Ford1UPS1
H&R Block1Waffle House1

Dorchester County on our top lists:

  • #42 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the largest decrease in the number of deaths per 1000 residents 2000-2006 to 2007-2013 (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #44 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents relocating from other counties between 2010 and 2011 (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #46 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the smallest number of people without health insurance coverage in 2000 (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #66 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents relocating to other counties in 2011 (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #85 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the largest number of people moving in compared to moving out (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #91 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents relocating from foreign countries between 2010 and 2011 (pop. 50,000+)"
  • #96 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents relocating from other counties between 2010 and 2011"
  • #98 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents relocating to foreign countries in 2011 (pop. 50,000+)"
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