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Illinois›Macoupin County
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Dorchester TownshipIL

A town of 1,473.

Population
1,473
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Median home value
$212K
Census ACS
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
37.4
years
Jobs based here
44
A commuter town

Is Dorchester Township a good place to live?

Dorchester Township’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D for walkability. Only 104 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns score lower on walkability. Dorchester Township’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, against 26 minutes in Illinois’ towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Dorchester Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA−Cost of livingWeakestDWalkability
Small town

1,473 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Wilsonville · 2 miDorchester · 3 miMount Clare · 4 miSawyerville · 4 miStaunton · 4 miBenld · 5 mi
Gillespie TownshipBunker Hill TownshipDorchesterStaunton TownshipGillespie TownshipBunker Hill TownshipDorchesterStaunton TownshipDorchester Township

How Dorchester Township grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Dorchester Township is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.9 of 20; 1.2% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $212K, 2.6 years of the St. Louis metro’s $80K median household incomeA−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC+Open →SchoolsBehind 57% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationC+Open →Jobs & income$69K median household incomeC+Open →HealthCommunity Hospital of Staunton 4.3 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 0% conserved landCOpen →HistoryCOpen →Civic life1.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.4; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Dorchester Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Dorchester Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWilsonville water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dorchester Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsBunker Hill Community Unit School District 8Staunton Community Unit School District 6Gillespie Community Unit School District 73 districts serve Dorchester Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereMacoupin County ClerkMacoupin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes62093, 62014, 62088, 6203362093 35% · 62014 33% · 62088 21% · 62033 9%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Dorchester Township.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+

Most of Dorchester Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Dorchester Township for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Dorchester Township has added 22 jobs, to 44 in 2023. 6.1% of residents live below the poverty line in Dorchester Township, where Illinois’ towns sit at 8.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.

1%work in town
Dorchester TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town0.8%8.3%8%
Below the poverty line6.1%8.4%9.6%
Median household income$69,000$83,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Dorchester Township1%
Springfield6%
Edwardsville6%
Staunton5%
Alton5%
24 mi
median commute distance
44
jobs based in Dorchester Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 13% of U.S. towns
Full pageDorchester Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here44 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work1% work in Dorchester TownshipCommute times35 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 24 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Dorchester Township

Dorchester Township has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Dorchester Township is 87°F.

14″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter24–41°
Spring44–65°
Summer65–85°
Fall46–67°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageDorchester Township’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 21°Rain & snow14″ of snow a winter · 42 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HealthB−

On CDC estimates, Dorchester Township is less healthy than 53% of U.S. towns

Dorchester Township beats the Illinois average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 16% of adults smoke cigarettes in Dorchester Township.

47%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
Dorchester TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)16%13%14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)38%35%35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)15%13%14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)12%11%12%
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better21 too close to call8 worse
What stands outDorchester TownshipIL
Fewer uninsured adults7.4%9.9%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity10.4%13.2%
More adults with COPD8.7%6.3%
Community Hospital of Staunton
4.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageDorchester Township’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby4.3 miles to an ER · Community Hospital of StauntonHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than IL on 3 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+

Earthquakes leads a moderate hazard risk in Dorchester Township

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.

53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
53Moderate riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageDorchester Township’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters2 federal disasters · Paid out in Dorchester TownshipGet readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

OutdoorsC

0.4% of Dorchester Township is conserved land

1.7 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Dorchester Township’s trail density is 0.1 miles per square mile.

0.4%conserved
Dorchester TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile0.1 miles per square mile0.30.4
Conserved land0.4%3.7%4.3%
0.4%
conserved · 102 of 22,985 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Full pageDorchester Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map1.7 miles of trail, mappedPick a walkPick a walkConserved land0.4% conserved · 102 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Dorchester Township?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HousingCost of living grade A−

The median home in Dorchester Township sells for about $49K

86% of Dorchester Township households own their home.

$49Kmedian sale price
Dorchester TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home86%75%73%
Median rent$833 a month$1,129 a month$1,185 a month
1
homes sold in March
Full pageDorchester Township’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 0.7 years of incomeRents$833 a month · Median rentVs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Dorchester Township

17pages on Dorchester Township
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 57% of IL districtsHealthB−Better than IL on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−Work & commuteC+$69K median household income · 44 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 53% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
OutdoorsC2 mi of trails · 0% conserved landPlacesAttractions64 nearby · The Gardens at SIUE 18 miLibraryBStaunton Public LibraryColleges
The story
Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 147 residentsClimate87° summer highs · 14″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Dorchester Township; the nearest are

Blackburn CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Carlinville16.7 mi$28,149 tuitionSouthern Illinois University EdwardsvilleUniversity or college · Public · Edwardsville18.9 mi$12,922 in-state tuitionLewis and Clark Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Godfrey19.1 mi$4,340 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 Dorchester Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Dorchester Township for work

Where Dorchester Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

6% → Springfield Springfield 6% 6% → Edwardsville Edwardsville 6% 5% → Staunton Staunton 5% 5% → Alton Alton 5% 4% → Gillespie Gillespie 4% 4% → St. Louis St. Louis 4% Dorchester Township · 1% stay
44jobs based in Dorchester Township
1%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Dorchester Township

Village in Illinois, United States

Dorchester is a village in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 133 at the 2020 census.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.7 sq mi
Elevation
659 ft

Questions about Dorchester Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Dorchester Township, IL expensive?

Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $212,000, 28% below the Illinois typical home. Louis, MO-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.