Village · Nebraska
Dorchester, Nebraska
Dorchester, village, in Saline County, Nebraska. Dorchester had 625 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 610 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 550 (±121). GEOID 3113435.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
625
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 610 · ACS 2020-2024: 550 ±121
Median household income
$74,286
±$19,471 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$163,200
±$12,687 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$638
±$186 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Dorchester and what county is it in?
Dorchester is a village in Saline County, Nebraska. It covers 0.5 square miles of land, 1,220 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dorchester, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 625 people lived in Dorchester on July 1, 2025, up 0.8% since 2020, slower than Nebraska (+2.9%). The 2020 Census counted 610 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 550 (±121).
| Measure | Dorchester | Saline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 550 ±121 | 14,650 | no clear change |
| Households | 234 ±60 | 5,143 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.38 | 2.73 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 240 ±60 | 5,799 | no clear change |
Dorchester's population since 2000
From 615 in 2000 to 625 in 2025: up 1.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dorchester as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dorchester?
The median resident of Dorchester is 36.0 years old; 26.7% are under 18 and 22.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 15.1%.
| Measure | Dorchester | Saline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 ±13.3 | 37.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.7% ±7.0 pts | 26.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.5% ±7.3 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Male | 46.2% ±6.2 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.1% ±11.4 pts | 29.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.0% ±11.0 pts | 64.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 2.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±4.1 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.3% ±7.4 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.0% ±8.9 pts | 28.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±2.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 10.5% ±4.0 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.7% ±4.8 pts | 9.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.0% ±4.0 pts | 82.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.3% ±6.9 pts | 21.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2% ±3.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.9% ±10.4 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dorchester earn?
Half of Dorchester's 234 households earn less than $74,286 a year (±$19,471), against $79,910 in Saline County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $72,303 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Dorchester | Saline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,286 ±$19,471 | $79,910 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $81,323 ±$11,179 | $94,556 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,529 ±$5,723 | $33,639 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 2.0% ±2.9 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.9% ±1.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.9% ±2.0 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.7% ±5.4 pts | 84.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dorchester?
Owners occupy 74.4% of Dorchester's occupied homes and renters 25.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $163,200 by its owner (±$12,687). The median renter pays $638 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Dorchester | Saline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $163,200 ±$12,687 | $197,400 | +$46,284 |
| Median gross rent | $638 ±$186 | $914 | −$311 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 11.7% ±17.0 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,470 ±$156 | $1,676 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.4% ±13.9 pts | 75.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.6% ±13.9 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Housing units | 240 ±60 | 5,799 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.8% ±6.1 pts | 83.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±2.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.7% ±10.1 pts | 31.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±10.1 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Dorchester building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Dorchester in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 5.3 across Nebraska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Dorchester work and get to work?
84.2% of Dorchester's workers drive alone and 8.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.7 minutes.
| Measure | Dorchester | Saline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±9.6 pts | 68.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±3.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 84.2% ±8.8 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.9% ±3.0 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 5.0% ±7.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±3.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.7 min ±2.8 | 21.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dorchester?
No census tract lies mostly in Dorchester; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9607Saline County | 2,222 | $81,680 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dorchester) · Census block assignment files
How does Dorchester compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dorchester is the 12,308th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 167th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Dorchester is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 167th | 528 |
Dorchester's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Dorchester with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dorchester?
26 of the 57 figures for Dorchester on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dorchester are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Dorchester.