Dorchester County, South Carolina 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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B
Dorchester County Around averageWealthier than 89% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Dorchester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,650 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,445 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.3% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.2% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Dorchester County is about 13% higher than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Dorchester County (4.2%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Dorchester County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the South Carolina average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Dorchester County, South Carolina grew by 45.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,650 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Dorchester County
| Metric | Dorchester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.533 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,572 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,684 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.2% | 21.2% | 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, lower than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 32% more than women's income in Dorchester County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 32% wage gap accumulates to roughly $556,080 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, South Carolina has narrowed from about 31% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 24% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,792 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Dorchester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.2% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 4,151 people are unemployed in Dorchester County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Dorchester County is 30 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Dorchester County, South Carolina has fallen from 8.6% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.5% in 2019.
Dorchester County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Dorchester County, SC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 166,443 residents against a local median of 83,253. Dorchester County, SC's median household income, at $78,650, runs 49% above the $52,680 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.9% against a local median of 6.8%, 29% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Dorchester County, SC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $42,919 on median household income, so Dorchester County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Dorchester County, SC has the 3rd highest median household income 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, SC | 166,443 | $78,650 #3/6 | 4.2%/yr #5/6 | 4.9% #3/6 | 0.533 #3/6 |
| Colleton County, SC | 38,792 | $51,815 | 5.5%/yr | 9.8% | 0.555 |
| Berkeley County, SC | 246,888 | $84,225 | 5.4%/yr | 3.0% | 0.520 |
| Orangeburg County, SC | 83,253 | $45,561 | 3.5%/yr | 8.3% | 0.565 |
| Charleston County, SC | 420,867 | $88,480 | 6.0%/yr | 3.4% | 0.529 |
| Clarendon County, SC | 30,986 | $52,680 | 5.6%/yr | 6.8% | 0.550 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Dorchester County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than South Carolina, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Dorchester County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Dorchester County, South Carolina?
Dorchester County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,650, about 13% higher than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How fast is household income rising in Dorchester County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Dorchester County, South Carolina rose 45%, from $54,089 to $78,650. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +45% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Dorchester County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Dorchester County, South Carolina was $76,901, up 4% from $73,955 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Dorchester County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Dorchester County, South Carolina was $63,914. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $78,650.
What is the Gini coefficient in Dorchester County, South Carolina?
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, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dorchester County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 31% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 24% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,792 since 2009.
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