Dorchester County vs Somerset County
A side-by-side comparison of Dorchester County and Somerset County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dorchester County and Somerset County are counties in Maryland. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Dorchester County has the higher population (32,612 vs 24,685 in Somerset County). Dorchester County has the higher median household income ($60,495 vs $52,462 in Somerset County). Dorchester County has the higher median home value ($252,300 vs $164,300 in Somerset County).
Population, income & housing
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,612 | 24,685 |
| Median age | 43.9 yrs | 38.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $60,495 | $52,462 |
| Median home value | $252,300 | $164,300 |
| Median gross rent | $959 | $938 |
| Housing units | 16,416 | 10,916 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 68.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 17.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,138 → 32,612 (+1.5%) | 25,729 → 24,685 (-4.1%) |
| Median household income | $52,917 → $60,495 (+14.3%) | $37,803 → $52,462 (+38.8%) |
| Median home value | $183,300 → $252,300 (+37.6%) | $139,100 → $164,300 (+18.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $879 → $959 (+9.1%) | $716 → $938 (+31.0%) |
Dorchester County
32,13832,612
$52,917$60,495
$183,300$252,300
$879$959
Somerset County
25,72924,685
$37,803$52,462
$139,100$164,300
$716$938
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.8% | 12.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 13.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 14.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 13.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.5% | 10.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% | 13.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 10.6% |
| 75 and over | 9.2% | 6.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 61.0% | 51.2% |
| Black or African American | 25.3% | 37.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.9% | 4.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 13.2% | 15.0% |
| High school graduate | 40.1% | 40.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.9% | 27.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.7% | 11.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.1% | 5.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 81.4% | 74.1% |
| Carpooled | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Walked | 1.4% | 4.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Worked from home | 6.7% | 8.8% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 2.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 75.0% | 68.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.0% | 1.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.5% | 7.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| 20 or more units | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.6% | 9.7% |
Poverty & households
| Dorchester County | Somerset County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 20.1% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.37 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1973 | 1984 |
Full profiles
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