1st Advantage MortgageThe median Dorchester County household earns $61,839, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Maryland before sharing details.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Dorchester County
- What it costs to live in Dorchester County
- How much Dorchester County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Dorchester County
- Places inside Dorchester County
- How Dorchester County compares with nearby counties
- Budget math at the Dorchester County median
- Dorchester County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Dorchester County borrowers
- Before you sign
- Lender oversight for Dorchester County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Dorchester County
With an estimated 32,754 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Dorchester County ranks 21st of 24 in Maryland for population. Land area is 541 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 61 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Cambridge is the biggest of its 14 Census places, at roughly 13,152 people (40% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Dorchester County
A typical Dorchester County rental runs $1,032 a month including utilities, which is 39% below Maryland. 56% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 29% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $262,400, about 4.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 66% of homes.
| Cost | Dorchester County | Maryland figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,032/mo | $1,705/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $262,400 | $419,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 56% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.1% | 1.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 18% | 8% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
How much Dorchester County households make
At $61,839, the typical Dorchester County household income is 6% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Yearly household income | Dorchester County | Gap to Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.3% | +12.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.1% | +9.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.9% | -8.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.7% | -13.6 pts |
Some 28% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 30% have six-figure incomes. 17.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Dorchester County
The biggest employer of Dorchester County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 22% of workers, followed by retail trade (11%). The sharpest difference from the state is in arts, lodging and food service, at 11% locally and 7% for Maryland. The survey's unemployment rate for Dorchester County averages 5.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). About 79% drive to work alone and 17% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Top industries | Dorchester County share | +/- vs Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% | -1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.5% | +2.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 11.3% | +3.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.6% | -5.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.4% | +1.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.2% | +3.4 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Places inside Dorchester County
The table lists the 14 largest of 14 Census places in Dorchester County, by population. Together all 14 hold about 19,097 people, so roughly 42% of residents live outside any named place. Secretary has the highest median household income on the list ($82,721) and Cambridge the lowest ($47,323), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $755 in Hurlock to $1,670 in Algonquin. None of the 14 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | city | 13,152 | $47,323 | $1,058 | 9 mi |
| Hurlock | town | 2,819 | $58,511 | $755 | 17 mi |
| Algonquin | CDP | 1,074 | $76,500 | $1,670 | 11 mi |
| Secretary | town | 635 | $82,721 | $1,175 | 14 mi |
| Vienna | town | 382 | $100,313 | $1,731 | 12 mi |
| East New Market | town | 246 | $42,917 | $1,250 | 13 mi |
| Fishing Creek | CDP | 207 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Church Creek | town | 135 | $61,750 | $3,501 | 8 mi |
| Madison | CDP | 133 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Taylors Island | CDP | 127 | n/a | n/a | 15 mi |
| Galestown | town | 114 | n/a | n/a | 20 mi |
| Brookview | town | 33 | n/a | n/a | 17 mi |
| Eldorado | town | 30 | $51,563 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Elliott | CDP | 10 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
How Dorchester County compares with nearby counties
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (23 to 33 miles). All of the six report a higher median household income than Dorchester County; Calvert County is highest at $133,922 and Somerset County lowest at $64,943.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County | - | $61,839 | $1,032/mo | 66% |
| Wicomico County, MD | 23 mi | $76,210 | $1,327/mo | 62% |
| Talbot County, MD | 23 mi | $84,811 | $1,256/mo | 75% |
| Somerset County, MD | 27 mi | $64,943 | $1,013/mo | 73% |
| Calvert County, MD | 27 mi | $133,922 | $1,759/mo | 87% |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 30 mi | $119,446 | $1,747/mo | 73% |
| Caroline County, MD | 33 mi | $68,457 | $1,105/mo | 72% |
Budget math at the Dorchester County median
How much room does a median Dorchester County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Dorchester County: $5,153
- 20% goes to median rent ($1,032)
- At 36%, room after rent is $823 a month
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,184 a month
If your rent is above $1,032, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Dorchester County households compared
19% of Dorchester County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Dorchester County | Maryland statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 39.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.4% | 43.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 13.7% | 8.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.5% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 11.6% | 8.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 19.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.7% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Dorchester County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.7% |
| 60+ min | 11.4% |
What the numbers mean for Dorchester County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Dorchester County borrowers.
- 56% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Dorchester County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Consolidating cards in Dorchester County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Dorchester County-area credit union.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Lender oversight for Dorchester County
Dorchester County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Maryland state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Maryland guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Dorchester County household make?
About $61,839 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 40% below the Maryland median.
How much is rent in Dorchester County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,032 a month; 56% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Dorchester County?
By population: Cambridge, Hurlock, Algonquin, Secretary, Vienna. The county has 14 Census places in all.
Will a Dorchester County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Maryland as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Dorchester County?
Start with the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.