Dorchester County, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Maryland
on its Eastern Shore
. It is bordered by the Choptank River
to the north, Talbot County
to the northwest, Caroline County
to the northeast, Wicomico County
to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware
, to the east, and the Chesapeake Bay
to the west. Dorchester County uses the slogan, "The Heart of Chesapeake Country," due to its geographical location and the heart-like shape of the county on a map. In 2010, its population was 32,618. It was named for the Earl of Dorset
, a family friend of the Calverts (the founding family of the Maryland colony). Its county seat
is Cambridge
.
, and the DNR Police
. The DCSO is a full service agency, currently headed by Sheriff James W. Phillips Jr..
of 2000, there were 30,674 people, 12,706 households, and 8,500 families residing in the county. The population density
was 55 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 14,681 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.45% White
, 28.39% Black or African American
, 0.23% Native American
, 0.66% Asian
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
, 0.39% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.26% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.1% were of American
, 12.7% English
, 9.8% German
and 8.2% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000
.
There were 12,706 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.50% were married couples
living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.10% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.30% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,077, and the median income for a family was $41,917. Males had a median income of $29,014 versus $22,284 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $18,929. 13.80% of the population and 10.10% of families were below the poverty line
. 18.10% of those under the age of 18 and 14.20% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
As of 2010 the racial makeup of the county was 66.16% Non-Hispanic whites, 27.70% blacks, 0.34% Native Americans, 0.92% Asians, 0.03% Pacific Islanders, 0.09% Non-Hispanics from some other race, 1.64% Non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 3.64% Hispanic or Latino.
, serves several counties including Dorchester.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
on its Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a territorial part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominately on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The origin of term Eastern Shore was derived to distinguish a territorial part of the State of Maryland from the Western...
. It is bordered by the Choptank River
Choptank River
The Choptank River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. Running for , it rises in Kent County, Delaware, runs through Caroline County, Maryland and forms much of the border between Talbot County, Maryland on the north, and Caroline County and Dorchester County on...
to the north, Talbot County
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
to the northwest, Caroline County
Caroline County, Maryland
Caroline County is a wholly rural county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Talbot County to the west, Dorchester County to the south, Kent County, Delaware, to the east, and Sussex County, Delaware, to the southeast. As...
to the northeast, Wicomico County
Wicomico County, Maryland
As of the census of 2010, there were 98,733 people, 37,220 households, and 24,172 families residing in the county. The population density was 261.7 people per square mile . There were 41,192 housing units at an average density of 109.2 per square mile...
to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
, to the east, and the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
to the west. Dorchester County uses the slogan, "The Heart of Chesapeake Country," due to its geographical location and the heart-like shape of the county on a map. In 2010, its population was 32,618. It was named for the Earl of Dorset
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset KG was the son of Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset and the brother and heir of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset.-Life:...
, a family friend of the Calverts (the founding family of the Maryland colony). Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Cambridge
Cambridge, Maryland
Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
.
Law and government
Dorchester County operates under the Charter Home Rule form of government and the affairs of the County are managed by five County Council Members, one from each of the five Council districts defined within the County. Meetings of the County Council are held weekly. The agenda and the minutes of each week’s proceedings are public record.Law Enforcement
The county is policed by the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office (DCSO), the Maryland State PoliceMaryland State Police
The Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville CDP in unincorporated Baltimore County.-Organizational structure:...
, and the DNR Police
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police is the law enforcement arm of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources . Natural Resources Police Officers patrol State-owned lands and enforce conservation and boating laws as well as Maryland's Criminal Law and Transportation Article...
. The DCSO is a full service agency, currently headed by Sheriff James W. Phillips Jr..
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 982.92 square miles (2,545.8 km²), the largest county in Maryland, of which 557.54 square miles (1,444 km²) (or 56.72%) is land and 425.38 square miles (1,101.7 km²) (or 43.28%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Caroline CountyCaroline County, MarylandCaroline County is a wholly rural county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Talbot County to the west, Dorchester County to the south, Kent County, Delaware, to the east, and Sussex County, Delaware, to the southeast. As...
(north) - Sussex County, DelawareSussex County, DelawareSussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
(northeast) - Wicomico CountyWicomico County, MarylandAs of the census of 2010, there were 98,733 people, 37,220 households, and 24,172 families residing in the county. The population density was 261.7 people per square mile . There were 41,192 housing units at an average density of 109.2 per square mile...
(east) - Somerset CountySomerset County, Maryland-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*53.5% White*42.3% Black*0.3% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.5% Other races*3.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(southeast) - Talbot CountyTalbot County, Maryland-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(northwest)
Demographics
2010
Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:- 67.6% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 27.7% BlackAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 0.3% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 0.9% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
- 1.9% Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
- 1.2% Other racesRace (United States Census)Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
- 3.5% Hispanic or LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race)
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 30,674 people, 12,706 households, and 8,500 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 55 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 14,681 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.45% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 28.39% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.23% Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, 0.66% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.39% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.26% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.1% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 12.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 9.8% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 8.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
There were 12,706 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.50% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.10% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.30% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,077, and the median income for a family was $41,917. Males had a median income of $29,014 versus $22,284 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $18,929. 13.80% of the population and 10.10% of families were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
. 18.10% of those under the age of 18 and 14.20% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
As of 2010 the racial makeup of the county was 66.16% Non-Hispanic whites, 27.70% blacks, 0.34% Native Americans, 0.92% Asians, 0.03% Pacific Islanders, 0.09% Non-Hispanics from some other race, 1.64% Non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 3.64% Hispanic or Latino.
Public schools
- Dorchester County School of Technology
- North Dorchester High School
- Cambridge-South Dorchester High SchoolCambridge-South Dorchester High SchoolCambridge-South Dorchester High School is located in Cambridge, Maryland and is part of the Dorchester County Public Schools system, and serves students in grades 9 to 12. The School opened in 1976 and cost $9 Million Dollars to build and equip. The school's most prominent feature is that it was...
- Mace's Lane Middle School
- North Dorchester Middle School
- Sandy Hill Elementary School
- Choptank Elementary School
- Hurlock Elementary School
- Maple Elementary School
- South Dorchester PK-8
- Vienna Elementary School
- Warwick Elementary School
Cities and towns
This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:- 1 CityCityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
:- CambridgeCambridge, MarylandCambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
(incorporated 1793)
- Cambridge
- 8 TownTownA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s:- BrookviewBrookview, MarylandBrookview is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 65 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brookview is located at ....
(incorporated 1953) - Church CreekChurch Creek, MarylandChurch Creek is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 85 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Church Creek is located at...
(incorporated 1867) - East New MarketEast New Market, MarylandEast New Market is a town located in Dorchester County, Maryland. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 167. The zip code is 21631.-Geography:East New Market is located at ....
(incorporated 1832) - EldoradoEldorado, MarylandEldorado is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 60 at the 2000 census.-History:Rehoboth was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972...
(incorporated 1947) - GalestownGalestown, MarylandGalestown is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 101 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Galestown is located at ....
(incorporated 1951) - HurlockHurlock, MarylandHurlock is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,874 at the 2000 census. It is home to WAAI radio. Joyce Spratt is the current mayor, and the town has five council members—Michael E. Henry , Michael D. Nordstrom , Parker J. Durham , Charles T. Cephas and...
(incorporated 1892) - SecretarySecretary, MarylandSecretary is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 503 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Secretary is located at ....
(incorporated 1900) - ViennaVienna, MarylandVienna is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 280 at the 2000 census.-History:Vienna was founded in 1706. It thrived on trade, shipbuilding and tobacco farming. Throughout the next century, the British would raid the town repeatedly, and also during the War of...
(incorporated 1833)
- Brookview
Media
The local newspapers are The Daily Banner and The Dorchester Star (a free, weekly publication). A regional newspaper, The Star DemocratThe Star Democrat
The Star Democrat is a daily newspaper published in Easton, Maryland. It serves five counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore: Kent, Queen Anne's, Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot. The current editor is Denise Riley....
, serves several counties including Dorchester.