Dorchester, Nebraska downtown 1, 2012
Dorchester’s story
155 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1871Dorchester is settled
DorchesterNE
A town of 625, settled in 1871.
Z.C.B.J. Rad Tabor No. 74 · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
625
2025 Census estimate · +0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$202K
+1.6% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
36.0
years
Jobs based here
130
A commuter town
Is Dorchester a good place to live?
Of the 57 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower median rent than Dorchester. Dorchester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
625 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dorchester: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dorchester, and how to reach them.
PowerVillage of DorchesterEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Dorchester water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dorchester’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Nebraska you can register online until 18 days before Election Day, in person until 11 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 18 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSaline County ClerkSaline County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6834368343 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dorchester.
Work & commute
Dorchester stands out in Nebraska and nationally: a smaller share of its residents live below the poverty line
2% of Dorchester residents live below the poverty line, against 11% in Nebraska’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. 5.4% of working residents work locally in Dorchester. The top destinations are Lincoln (17%), Friend (10%) and Crete (9%).
5%work in town
| Dorchester | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 34% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 5.4% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Dorchester5%
Lincoln17%
Friend10%
Crete9%
Omaha9%
24 mi
median commute distance
130
jobs based in Dorchester
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Dorchester’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Dorchester Public School. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 141 | C |
| Dorchester High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 89 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Dorchester’s typical home value is about $202K
The typical Dorchester home is worth about $202,000, up 1.6% in a year, 27% below the Nebraska typical home.
$202KZillow home value
Typical home value
Dorchester$202K
Nebraska$278K
+1.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Dorchester has four seasons and pleasant summers
Dorchester has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 15° and about 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–38°
Spring39–63°
Summer63–85°
Fall41–65°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Dorchester is
Dorchester tracks Nebraska closely on all 32 CDC measures. 21% of Dorchester adults binge drink, above both the Nebraska town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). 17% of Dorchester adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Dorchester | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Friend Community Healthcare System
8.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Dorchester faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dorchester
18pages on Dorchester
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Dorchester
About 2 of every 100 Dorchester residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Dorchester for work
Where Dorchester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
130jobs based in Dorchester
5%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Dorchester
Village in Nebraska, United States
Dorchester is a village in Saline County, Nebraska, United States. It is thirty-eight miles southwest from the Lincoln, Nebraska metropolitan area. The population was 596 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,483 ft
- ZIP code
- 68343
- Area code
- 402
Questions about Dorchester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dorchester, NE a good place to live?
Dorchester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.