County profile · South Carolina
Dorchester County, SC market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Dorchester County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 178,397
- +10.1% since 2020
- Households
- 63,179
- Median household income
- $78,198
- +24.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $329,300
- Jobs located here
- 39,777
- Highest market score
- 88
- Clothing and shoe stores, #43 of 2,087 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Dorchester County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Dorchester County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 178,397 people live in Dorchester County, in 63,179 households. Population estimates show Dorchester County grew 10.1% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Dorchester County is $78,198 a year, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 24.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Dorchester County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Dorchester County are for clothing and shoe stores (88); clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (86); and coffee shops and cafes (83). Dorchester County ranks #43 of 2,087 scored counties for clothing and shoe stores.
Dorchester County is part of the Charleston-North Charleston metro area. For its number of households, Dorchester County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (65% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing and shoe stores (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Dorchester County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Dorchester County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing and shoe stores | 88 | #43 of 2,087 | 42 | 6.6 | $2.9M | 228 | 11 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 86 | #61 of 2,210 | 63 | 10.0 | $1.9M | 220 | 15 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 83 | #70 of 2,063 | 47 | 7.4 | $5.2M | 141 | 17 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 82 | #34 of 1,302 | 12 | 1.9 | $6M | 191 | 7 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 82 | #70 of 1,889 | 45 | 7.1 | $5.5M | 132 | 17 |
| Electricians | 81 | #44 of 1,160 | 12 | 1.9 | $15.5M | 129 | 30 |
| Roofing and gutters | 81 | #51 of 1,177 | 20 | 3.2 | $9.3M | 110 | 5 |
| Laundromats | 81 | #54 of 785 | 5 | 0.8 | $24.4M | 195 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 80 | #87 of 1,611 | 24 | 3.8 | $1.2M | 124 | 27 |
| Insurance agencies | 79 | #248 of 2,272 | 76 | 12.0 | $2.2M | 172 | 49 |
| Gas stations | 78 | #200 of 2,358 | 74 | 11.7 | $2.6M | 109 | 52 |
| Dry cleaners | 77 | #32 of 507 | 5 | 0.8 | $24.4M | 156 | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 76 | #126 of 1,493 | 31 | 4.9 | $3.1M | 105 | 54 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 76 | #225 of 2,405 | 520 | 82.3 | $473K | 128 | 225 |
| Grocery stores | 76 | #279 of 2,070 | 37 | 5.9 | $10.5M | 113 | 22 |
| Home repair trades | 74 | #129 of 2,057 | 68 | 10.8 | $2.7M | 113 | 95 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 74 | #257 of 2,222 | 67 | 10.6 | $3.7M | 120 | 113 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 73 | #166 of 1,461 | 25 | 4.0 | $2.3M | 92 | 12 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 73 | #308 of 2,405 | 301 | 47.6 | $817K | 123 | 93 |
| Convenience stores | 73 | #358 of 2,261 | 59 | 9.3 | $6.6M | 84 | 14 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 73 | #370 of 2,402 | 119 | 18.8 | $3.3M | 97 | 36 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 72 | #182 of 1,327 | 17 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 115 | 12 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 71 | #82 of 777 | 9 | 1.4 | $5.3M | 131 | 12 |
| Gyms | 71 | #215 of 1,792 | 37 | 5.9 | $1.3M | 99 | 12 |
| Pet businesses | 71 | #264 of 2,200 | 76 | 12.0 | $773K | 88 | 31 |
| Pizza | 71 | #281 of 2,090 | 46 | 7.3 | $5.3M | 105 | 113 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 69 | #239 of 1,707 | 36 | 5.7 | $5.2M | 109 | 60 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 69 | #281 of 1,656 | 28 | 4.4 | $2.6M | 144 | 71 |
| Pet stores | 68 | #203 of 974 | 16 | 2.5 | $3.7M | 81 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 68 | #432 of 2,378 | 121 | 19.2 | $498K | 112 | 53 |
| Funeral homes | 65 | #367 of 1,472 | 15 | 2.4 | $529K | 78 | 3 |
| Veterinarians | 65 | #394 of 1,485 | 31 | 4.9 | $1.9M | 70 | 15 |
| Auto repair and car care | 65 | #544 of 2,401 | 208 | 32.9 | $290K | 108 | 85 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 61 | #474 of 1,771 | 64 | 10.1 | $1.5M | 89 | 103 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 60 | #611 of 2,088 | 78 | 12.3 | $613K | 93 | 22 |
| House cleaning | 58 | #275 of 847 | 19 | 3.0 | $5M | 79 | 34 |
| Barbershops | 58 | #498 of 1,356 | 32 | 5.1 | $1.8M | 97 | 4 |
| Physical therapy | 58 | #516 of 1,422 | 37 | 5.9 | $1.9M | 81 | 15 |
| Property management | 57 | #334 of 910 | 21 | 3.3 | Index only | 84 | 23 |
| Tire shops | 57 | #611 of 1,530 | 25 | 4.0 | $2.4M | 96 | 13 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 56 | #509 of 1,334 | 32 | 5.1 | $1.5M | 74 | 10 |
| Home inspectors | 55 | #162 of 415 | 5 | 0.8 | Index only | 74 | 4 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 53 | #1,054 of 2,394 | 361 | 57.1 | $199K | 131 | 184 |
| Car washes and detailing | 52 | #689 of 1,451 | 28 | 4.4 | $2.2M | 85 | 12 |
| Pest control | 49 | #371 of 699 | 14 | 2.2 | $6.8M | 67 | 15 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 46 | #296 of 479 | 8 | 1.3 | $7.5M | 55 | 5 |
| Nail salons | 44 | #880 of 1,328 | 56 | 8.9 | $1M | 62 | 13 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 43 | #572 of 887 | 33 | 5.2 | Index only | 76 | 15 |
| Spas and skin care | 43 | #1,166 of 1,769 | 105 | 16.6 | $555K | 63 | 14 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 43 | #1,439 of 2,176 | 194 | 30.7 | Index only | 92 | 91 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 42 | #1,241 of 1,886 | 78 | 12.3 | $922K | 94 | 56 |
| Real estate | 42 | #1,539 of 2,229 | 253 | 40.0 | Index only | 89 | 153 |
| Hair salons | 38 | #1,756 of 2,339 | 225 | 35.6 | $259K | 60 | 44 |
| Chiropractors | 36 | #1,134 of 1,490 | 56 | 8.9 | $1.3M | 54 | 26 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 36 | #1,930 of 2,385 | 427 | 67.6 | $137K | 64 | 76 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.6 | $18M | 73 | 9 |
Household spending in Dorchester County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $60.3M | $954 | 100 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $192.4M | $3,045 | 117 |
| Food away from home | $246M | $3,894 | 96 |
| Groceries | $389.1M | $6,158 | 97 |
| Personal care products and services | $58.3M | $923 | 92 |
| Child care and other personal services | $29.9M | $473 | 82 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $47.8M | $756 | 77 |
| Medical and dental services | $71.9M | $1,138 | 88 |
| Pets | $58.7M | $930 | 102 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $121.9M | $1,929 | 94 |
| Vehicle insurance | $163.8M | $2,592 | 132 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $186.3M | $2,948 | 98 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $95.5M | $1,512 | 107 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $975.7M | $15,444 | 93 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Dorchester County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 178,397+10.1% since 2020
- Households
- 63,179
- Median age
- 38.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 76%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 568 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 294
- Median household income
- $78,198+24.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $100,220
- Median home value
- $329,300
- Jobs located here
- 39,777
- Daytime population
- 129,933Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Dorchester County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Dorchester County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in South Carolina 8
- Berkeley County, SC246,802 people
- Charleston County, SC420,264 people
- Colleton County, SC38,783 people
- Orangeburg County, SC83,253 people
- Clarendon County, SC30,986 people
- Williamsburg County, SC30,282 people
- Hampton County, SC18,254 people
- Bamberg County, SC13,042 people
Questions
How fast is Dorchester County, SC growing?
Population estimates put Dorchester County at 178,397 people in 2025, up 10.1% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 63,179 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 24.0%, before inflation.
How much do households in Dorchester County, SC spend?
Households in Dorchester County spend about $975.7M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $389.1M on groceries and $246M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Dorchester County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Dorchester County, SC?
Of the business types scored in Dorchester County, clothing and shoe stores (88); clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (86); and coffee shops and cafes (83) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For clothing and shoe stores, that ranks #43 of 2,087 scored counties.
How does Dorchester County, SC compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Dorchester County is $78,198, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 10.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $329,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (65% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing and shoe stores (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Dorchester County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Dorchester County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in South Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Dorchester County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Dorchester County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.