Dorchester County, South Carolina

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Dorchester County, South Carolina
County
Location within the state of South Carolina Location within the state of South Carolina
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	1897
County seat	St. George
Area
• Total	576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water	1.1 sq mi (3 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	161,540
• Density	280/sq mi (110/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4

Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 161,540. The county seat is St. George, and the largest city is Summerville. Dorchester County is part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Dorchester County was established in 1897 from parts of Colleton and Berkeley counties. The county was named after Dorchester, Massachusetts, which was the hometown of some of the early settlers.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 575 square miles (1,490 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Berkeley County - east
• Charleston County - southeast
• Colleton County - southwest
• Orangeburg County - northwest

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, there were 161,540 people, 57,000 households, and 41,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 281 people per square mile (108/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.5% White, 24.1% African American, 1.6% Asian, and 5.8% from other races.

Government and politics

Dorchester County is governed by a county council consisting of seven members elected from single-member districts. The county operates under the Council-Administrator form of government.

Economy

The economy of Dorchester County is diverse, with major industries including manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. The county is also home to several large employers, including Boeing and Volvo Cars.

Education

Dorchester County is served by two public school districts: Dorchester School District Two and Dorchester School District Four. The county is also home to several private schools and higher education institutions, including Trident Technical College.

Transportation

Major highways in Dorchester County include Interstate 26, U.S. Route 78, and U.S. Route 17 Alternate. The county is also served by the Charleston International Airport, which is located in nearby Charleston County.

Communities

Cities

• North Charleston (partly in Charleston County and Berkeley County)
• Summerville (partly in Berkeley County and Charleston County)

Towns

• Harleyville
• Reevesville
• Ridgeville
• St. George

Unincorporated communities

• Grover
• Knightsville

See also

• List of counties in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dorchester County, South Carolina