Beaufort County vs Dorchester County
A side-by-side comparison of Beaufort County and Dorchester County: population, income, housing, and more.
Beaufort County and Dorchester County are counties in South Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Beaufort County has the higher population (192,123 vs 164,322 in Dorchester County). Beaufort County has the higher median household income ($84,819 vs $76,896 in Dorchester County). Beaufort County has the higher median home value ($407,600 vs $294,400 in Dorchester County).
Population, income & housing
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 192,123 | 164,322 |
| Median age | 47.2 yrs | 37.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $84,819 | $76,896 |
| Median home value | $407,600 | $294,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,484 | $1,381 |
| Housing units | 101,177 | 66,435 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 75.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.8% | 30.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 4.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 186,095 → 192,123 (+3.2%) | 158,299 → 164,322 (+3.8%) |
| Median household income | $68,377 → $84,819 (+24.0%) | $63,080 → $76,896 (+21.9%) |
| Median home value | $298,100 → $407,600 (+36.7%) | $198,800 → $294,400 (+48.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,202 → $1,484 (+23.5%) | $1,099 → $1,381 (+25.7%) |
Beaufort County
186,095192,123
$68,377$84,819
$298,100$407,600
$1,202$1,484
Dorchester County
158,299164,322
$63,080$76,896
$198,800$294,400
$1,099$1,381
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.8% | 5.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.0% | 18.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.1% | 7.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.2% | 13.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.9% | 14.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.1% | 12.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.0% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.1% | 9.3% |
| 75 and over | 11.8% | 5.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.4% | 61.3% |
| Black or African American | 15.7% | 24.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.3% | 6.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 8.7% |
| High school graduate | 21.4% | 26.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.0% | 35.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 25.9% | 19.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 18.9% | 10.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.0% | 80.2% |
| Carpooled | 9.4% | 7.8% |
| Public transit | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 11.3% | 9.6% |
| Other means | 1.1% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.3% | 66.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.8% | 8.1% |
| 20 or more units | 8.2% | 3.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 9.8% | 12.3% |
Poverty & households
| Beaufort County | Dorchester County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Average household size | 2.36 | 2.64 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 31 |
| Median year structure built | 1997 | 1999 |
Full profiles
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