Dorchester County, South Carolina property tax
The median homeowner in Dorchester County, South Carolina pays $1,710 a year in property tax on a home worth $294,400, an effective rate of 0.58%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.58%, Dorchester County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,710. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
It ranks #13 of 46 South Carolina counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.51%, and #2,158 nationally. The state runs from 0.88% in Allendale County down to 0.34% in Horry County.
The median home costs 3.83 times the median household income of $76,896, close to the national 3.86. The county has 164,322 residents, which is small enough that the medians describe a reasonably coherent market.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Dorchester County | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.58% | 0.51% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,710 | $1,199 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $294,400 | $236,700 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,381 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $76,896 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.83× | 3.54× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 21.55% | 20.22% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 75.43% | 71.43% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 164,322.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken County | 0.43% | $862 | $199,500 |
| Florence County | 0.44% | $724 | $165,500 |
| Beaufort County | 0.50% | $2,022 | $407,600 |
| Pickens County | 0.38% | $821 | $216,000 |
| Anderson County | 0.46% | $985 | $212,500 |
Dorchester County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Dorchester County, South Carolina?
The effective rate is 0.58% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,710 against a median home value of $294,400. That is 0.4 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Dorchester County?
Roughly $2,320 a year at the county effective rate of 0.58%.
Is Dorchester County expensive compared with the rest of South Carolina?
It ranks #13 of 46 South Carolina counties by effective property tax rate, and #2158 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.07 points above the South Carolina average of 0.51%.
What does housing cost in Dorchester County?
The median home is worth $294,400 and median gross rent is $1,381 a month. Median household income is $76,896, which puts the home at 3.83 times annual income and rent at 21.55% of it.