The Town FilesDorchester, Nebraska
Village in Saline County · population 610 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,200
- Household income
- $74,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 36.0
Dorchester is a village of 610 people in Saline County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $163,200, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks more of a college town than 96% of Nebraska towns, easier by car than 91% of Nebraska towns, better for families than 81% of Nebraska towns.
How Dorchester ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dorchester is worth $163,200, above the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $74,286, which is more affordable than 54% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $638 a month. 74.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dorchester | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,200 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $638 | $818 |
| Median household income | $74,286 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 74.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dorchester
| People | Dorchester | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 87.8% |
Weather in Dorchester
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 12.6°F. About 29.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.9 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dorchester since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 25, 1957 about 5.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 1, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 69 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 15, 2008.
Severe weather in Saline County since 1996
Saline County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4896: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4868: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4641: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Saline County
Saline County had 6,653 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,910 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Dorchester itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Dorchester
2 public schools with 245 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DORCHESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 152 | 12.7 |
| DORCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 93 | 10.3 |
Towns near Dorchester
- Crete, NE8.7 mi · 7,099 people · home $223,500
- Friend, NE8.8 mi · 954 people · home $173,800
- Milford, NE9.2 mi · 2,155 people · home $228,200
- Wilber, NE14.0 mi · 1,937 people · home $185,700
- Exeter, NE17.5 mi · 523 people · home $116,000
- Seward, NE18.1 mi · 7,643 people · home $244,600
- De Witt, NE20.2 mi · 530 people · home $136,900
- Utica, NE20.9 mi · 840 people · home $188,700
Dorchester questions
Is Dorchester, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dorchester scores better for retirees than 21% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 32%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Dorchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Dorchester is valued at $163,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,286, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $638 a month.
What is the weather like in Dorchester?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 12.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.0 inches of precipitation a year and 23.9 inches of snow.
Does Dorchester get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dorchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 25, 1957. The typical Nebraska town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)