Town guide

Dorchester, Nebraska

Dorchester is a village in Saline County, Nebraska, home to about 550 people across 0.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 68343.

Homes sold for a median of $99 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population5501,100 per sq mi
Median home value$163,200Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$99Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking50%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Dorchester

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Dorchester. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Dorchester’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Dorchester

Distances

Nearest major airportEppley Airfield (OMA)78 miles away
Closer regional airportLincoln Airport (LNK)22 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Lincoln, NE25 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL496 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Dorchester; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Dorchester

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Dorchester had 610 residents in the 2020 census, down 1% since 2000.

It’s the 200th largest of 580 towns in Nebraska by population.

Saline County grew from 18,252 residents in 1900 to 14,292 in 2020.

Dorchester population by census2000: 615, 2010: 586, 2020: 610615200058620106102020

Saline County, 1900–2020

Saline County population, 1900 to 20201900: 18,252, 1910: 17,866, 1920: 16,514, 1930: 16,356, 1940: 15,010, 1950: 14,046, 1960: 12,542, 1970: 12,809, 1980: 13,131, 1990: 12,715, 2000: 13,843, 2010: 14,200, 2020: 14,29218K’00’1017K’20’3015K’40’5013K’60’7013K’80’9014K’00’1014K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 24 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near DorchesterJan: high 33°F, low 13°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 38°F, low 16°F, 0.9 in; Mar: high 50°F, low 26°F, 1.6 in; Apr: high 62°F, low 36°F, 2.4 in; May: high 72°F, low 50°F, 4.9 in; Jun: high 82°F, low 60°F, 4.2 in; Jul: high 84°F, low 64°F, 3.5 in; Aug: high 83°F, low 61°F, 3.4 in; Sep: high 77°F, low 52°F, 2.8 in; Oct: high 65°F, low 39°F, 2.3 in; Nov: high 50°F, low 26°F, 1.3 in; Dec: high 36°F, low 17°F, 1.1 in33°13°Jan0.738°16°Feb0.950°26°Mar1.662°36°Apr2.472°50°May4.982°60°Jun4.284°64°Jul3.583°61°Aug3.477°52°Sep2.865°39°Oct2.350°26°Nov1.336°17°Dec1.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Friend 3e, NE weather station (6 miles away).

Jobs in Saline County

5,375 jobs at 321 businesses in Saline County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Saline CountyManufacturing: 2,037 jobs; Retail trade: 574 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 510 jobs; Educational services: 508 jobs; Administrative and support: 328 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 309 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 272 jobs; Construction: 187 jobsManufacturing 38% Retail trade 11% Health care and social assistance 10% Educational services 10% Administrative and support 6% Transportation and warehousing 6% Hotels and restaurants 5% Construction 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

1 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Dorchester.

Nearest hospitals

  • Crete Area Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Crete8.8 miles
  • Memorial Health Care SystemsCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Seward18.0 miles
  • Bryan Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Lincoln25.7 miles

Providers with an office here

Mental health providers1

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Dorchester

Parks (1 nearby)

  • Dorchester City Park0.5 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Dorchester Public Library0.5 mi

Museums (1 nearby)

  • Saline County Museum0.6 mi

Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Dorchester

Public schools here are run by Dorchester Public School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Dorchester Elementary SchoolDorchesterPre-K–6141Public0.7 mi
Dorchester High SchoolDorchester7–1289Public0.7 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Dorchester is

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Towns near Dorchester

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.