COUNTY REPORT MD

Dorchester County, Maryland

16 ZIP codes · Avg score 100/100 · Grade A · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Dorchester County: A.

No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.

Across all 16 ZIP codes in Dorchester County, tap water consistently meets or exceeds federal safety standards.

How Dorchester County Compares

Dorchester County100/100
Maryland avg69/100
National avg73/100

How Dorchester County Compares

A
County Grade
100/100
Avg Safety Score
16
ZIP Codes
2
Water Systems

Dorchester County scores 31 points above the Maryland state average (69/100) and 27 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

A
County Grade
100
Avg Safety Score
16
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 21613 (100/100)
Lowest ZIP: 21613 (100/100)
$248K
Median Home Value
$1,400
Avg Remediation (57% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Dorchester County, Maryland

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 15.9 (asthma 11.5%, diabetes 16.6%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $5,414, driven primarily by sea_level

69.3% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

Violation History (2021–2024)

→ Stable trend

EPA violation counts by year across Dorchester County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2021
1 (1 health)
2024
4 (4 health)

Peak year: 2024 with 4 violations. Past 5 years: 5 total (5 health-based).

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 11.5% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 16.6% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 41.8% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1971
Median Build Year
69.3%
Pre-1978 Housing
47/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
69%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
High
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $5,414

Sea Level Rise $2,906/yr
Flood $1,386/yr
Energy Code Gap $489/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

15,654 housing units in Dorchester County

Pre-1940 23%
1940–1959 15%
1960–1979 19%
1980–1999 19%
2000+ 24%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Dorchester County

$248K
Median Home Value
$1,400
Est. Remediation Cost
0.6%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Dorchester County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Dorchester County residents

Asthma 11.5% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 16.6% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 41.8% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Dorchester County

2 community water systems serving Dorchester County.

Systems with the most violations in Dorchester County

1 water system with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in Dorchester County

16 ZIP codes tracked in Dorchester County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 21613 Cambridge 100 A 0 $280K
2 21622 Church Creek $248K
3 21626 Crapo $708K
4 21627 Crocheron
5 21631 East New Market $308K
6 21634 Fishing Creek $275K
7 21643 Hurlock 2 (1 health) $220K
8 21648 Madison $171K
9 21659 Rhodesdale 2 (1 health) $202K
10 21664 Secretary $172K
11 21669 Taylors Island $410K
12 21672 Toddville $85K
13 21675 Wingate
14 21677 Woolford $439K
15 21835 Linkwood
16 21869 Vienna $203K

Recommended Buyer Guides for Dorchester County

Filtered against EPA monitoring data and CDC lead-exposure guidance, the guides below skip the generic catalog and connect directly to the contaminants and hazards on file here.

Overview

Dorchester County in Maryland covers 16 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of A (100/100) across 1 scored records.

2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Maryland Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Dorchester County?
Dorchester County receives a grade of A, indicating generally safe tap water across its 16 ZIP codes.
How many water systems serve Dorchester County?
Dorchester County is served by 2 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 16 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Dorchester County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Dorchester County is sea_level. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $5,414 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Dorchester County?
The median home build year in Dorchester County is 1971. 69.3% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Dorchester County compare to Maryland?
Dorchester County has an average Home Safety Score of 100/100 under model 4.0.0, which is above the Maryland state average of 69/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Dorchester County, MD: HSS 100/100; 1 Health Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/county/maryland/dorchester/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-maryland-dorchester,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Dorchester County, MD: HSS 100/100; 1 Health Violation}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/maryland/dorchester/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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