Dorchester County, Maryland
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 9% for park & nature access
- bottom 8% for estimated total tax burden
Dorchester County is a county in Maryland with about 33,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and D for weather. Standout strengths include school quality, park & nature access, and sales tax. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitedorchestercountymd.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
63%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.3 in
muggy 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 45% of US counties
Home Value$226k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$968better than 26% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 19% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.00%better than 39% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
State 5.80% + Local 3.20%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.92%better than 8% of US counties
Unemployment5.5%better than 35% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.9 in61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall13.8 inbetter than 48% of US counties
Sunny Days206 daysbetter than 20% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 30% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk53.8better than 45% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime403/100kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Crime618/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Community
Population32,55756th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.870th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5486th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.882nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1224th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)61.3%25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)25.6%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.1%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 34% of US counties
Walkability5.6/20better than 35% of US counties
Airport Distance63 mibetter than 72% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.7%better than 66% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 91% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dorchester County an affordable place to live?
- Dorchester County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 45% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Dorchester County?
- The median home value in Dorchester County is $226k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Dorchester County?
- Median household income in Dorchester County is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Dorchester County?
- Median gross rent in Dorchester County is $968 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Dorchester County safe?
- Dorchester County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 403/100k (better than 76%). Property crime is 618/100k.
- What is the weather like in Dorchester County?
- Dorchester County averages 79°F in July and 37°F in January, with 46.9 in of annual precipitation and about 206 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Dorchester County?
- Public-school quality in Dorchester County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Dorchester County?
- The average one-way commute in Dorchester County is 27 min.
Other counties in Maryland
Explore Maryland
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)