Dorchester County, Maryland Income Statistics
Dorchester County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Dorchester County Below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,608 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,214 | $75,715 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.3% | 4.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.0% | 20.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.7% | 20.3% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Dorchester County is about 40% lower than in Maryland. Income has been growing slower in Dorchester County (3.3%/yr) than in Maryland (4.0%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Dorchester County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Maryland average of 21%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Dorchester County, Maryland grew by 38.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,608 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Dorchester County
| Metric | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.533 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,242 | $84,327 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,431 | $72,201 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.9% | 14.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Dorchester County, it is 0.533, about the same as Maryland's 0.534, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Dorchester County, Maryland. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $378,385 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dorchester County, Maryland has narrowed from about 22% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,026 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.3% | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 28 | 22 |
Approximately 894 people are unemployed in Dorchester County, Maryland.
The average commute time in Dorchester County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 28 minutes in Maryland.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Dorchester County, Maryland has fallen from 12.1% to 5.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2023.
Dorchester County, MD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Dorchester County, MD is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 32,754 residents against a local median of 94,313. Where Dorchester County, MD breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 32% above the local median of 4.3% at 5.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $62,608 against a local median of $85,514, 27% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Dorchester County, MD reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.8% on unemployment, so Dorchester County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Dorchester County, MD has the 4th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | $62,608 #6/6 | 3.3%/yr #6/6 | 5.7% #4/6 | 0.533 #5/6 |
| Talbot County, MD | 37,917 | $85,514 | 4.4%/yr | 4.3% | 0.528 |
| Somerset County, MD | 24,822 | $63,559 | 7.7%/yr | 7.5% | 0.612 |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | $76,195 | 4.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.530 |
| Calvert County, MD | 94,313 | $134,676 | 4.2%/yr | 2.6% | 0.513 |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 115,126 | $119,889 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.525 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Dorchester County, Maryland has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Maryland, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Dorchester County, Maryland.
How Rich Is Dorchester County, Maryland?
Dorchester County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $62,608, about 40% lower than the Maryland average of $103,916.
Are incomes growing in Dorchester County, Maryland?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Dorchester County, Maryland rose 39%, from $45,119 to $62,608. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Maryland as a whole: +39% against +49%.
What was the median household income in Dorchester County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Dorchester County, Maryland was $60,895, up 7% from $57,049 in 2022. The Maryland median that year was $101,974.
What was the median household income in Dorchester County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Dorchester County, Maryland was $52,298. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $62,608.
What is the Gini coefficient in Dorchester County, Maryland?
The Gini coefficient in Dorchester County is 0.533. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Dorchester County, Maryland?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dorchester County, Maryland has narrowed from about 22% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,026 since 2009.
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