Dorchester County, South Carolina
| Dorchester County, South Carolina | ||
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 Location in the state of South Carolina |
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 South Carolina's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1897 | |
| Named for | Dorchester, Massachusetts | |
| Seat | St. George | |
| Largest City | North Charleston | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 576 sq mi (1,492 km2) | |
| • Land | 573 sq mi (1,484 km2) | |
| • Water | 2.6 sq mi (7 km2), 0.4% | |
| Population | ||
| • (2010) | 136,555 | |
| • Density | 238/sq mi (92/km²) | |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 6th | |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 | |
| Website | www |
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Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 136,555.[1] Its county seat is St. George.[2]
Dorchester County is included in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History[edit]
Dorchester County is named for its first settlement area, which was established by Congregationalists in 1696. These settlers applied the name "Dorchester" after their last residence in Dorchester, Massachusetts.[3]
Dorchester was not established as a separate county until 1897. However, when it was separately established, it came from parts of the neighboring Colleton and Berkeley counties.[4]
Geography[edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 573 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (0.4%) is water.[5]
Adjacent Counties[edit]
- Bamberg County - west
- Berkeley County - east
- Charleston County - southeast
- Colleton County - southwest
- Orangeburg County - northwest
Demographics[edit]
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 16,294 | — | |
| 1910 | 17,891 | 9.8% | |
| 1920 | 19,459 | 8.8% | |
| 1930 | 18,956 | −2.6% | |
| 1940 | 19,928 | 5.1% | |
| 1950 | 22,601 | 13.4% | |
| 1960 | 24,383 | 7.9% | |
| 1970 | 32,276 | 32.4% | |
| 1980 | 58,761 | 82.1% | |
| 1990 | 83,060 | 41.4% | |
| 2000 | 96,413 | 16.1% | |
| 2010 | 136,555 | 41.6% | |
| Est. 2014 | 148,469 | [6] | 8.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1] |
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As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 96,413 people, 34,709 households, and 26,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 37,237 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile (25/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.05% White, 25.08% Black or African American, 0.73% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 1.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 34,709 households out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 20.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the county, the population was spread out with 28.90% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,316, and the median income for a family was $50,177. Males had a median income of $35,423 versus $24,405 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,840. About 7.10% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.40% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure[edit]
The South Carolina Department of Corrections operates the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville in Dorchester County.[12] The prison houses the state's male death row.[13]
Communities[edit]
- Grover
- Harleyville
- North Charleston (partly in Charleston County)
- Reevesville
- Ridgeville
- St. George (county seat)
- Summerville (partly in Berkeley County and Charleston County)
- Ladson (partly in Berkeley County and Charleston County)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 108.
- ^ Dorchester County Online
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- ^ "Lieber Correctional Institution." South Carolina Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
- ^ "Death Row/Capital Punishment." South Carolina Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
External links[edit]
- Dorchester County website
- US Census Bureau Data
Geographic data related to Dorchester County, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
Geographic data related to
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Orangeburg County | |
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| Bamberg County |  |
Berkeley County | ||
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| Colleton County | Charleston County |
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Coordinates: 33°05′N 80°24′W / 33.08°N 80.40°W
