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Compare towns

Bronte vs Dawson

210 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.7× in Bronte) and work from home (+16.2 pts in Dawson).

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Bronte, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,041 people
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Dawson, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,322 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BronteOne of the healthiest towns
Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 63%of TX districts All about Bronte →
DawsonOne of the healthiest towns
Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$196K typical home35% below the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 35%of TX districts All about Dawson →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker4.7×
Bronte is more of a job hub
Bronte 0.80Dawson 0.17
Work from home+16.2 pts
More people work from home in Dawson
Dawson 18.6%Bronte 2.4%
Street grid2.5×
Bronte has the more walkable street grid
Bronte 101Dawson 41.3
Growth since 2010+7.6 pts
Dawson has grown faster since 2010
Dawson +1%Bronte -6.6%
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Dawson
Dawson $2,253Bronte $1,845
Work in town+11.2 pts
More of Bronte’s workers stay in town
Bronte 12.9%Dawson 1.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $370 more a month in Dawson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Bronte$920/mo
Typical home $147K (Census) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $935/mo · Housing →
Dawson$1,290/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →

The difference: $370 a month, about $4,400 a year, between Dawson and Bronte.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
BBronteBetter than 63% of districts in the state C+DawsonBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
CBronteHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns DDawsonHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BronteDawson
Snow a year1″0″
January low—35°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—250d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th26th
Outdoors & history
BronteDawson
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1847
Community
BronteDawson
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

210 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BronteTXDawsonTX
Bronte ↔ Dawson210 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BronteDawson
People
Population 1,041Lowest 1,322Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.6%Lowest TX: +15.9% +1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 40.2±6.2Lowest 13% above TX 40.7±9.2Highest 14% above TX
Dawson and Bronte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.8%±6.4Lowest TX: 25% 29.5%±3.9Highest TX: 25%
Dawson and Bronte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22%±5Highest TX: 13.4% 14.4%±3.4Lowest TX: 13.4%
Bronte and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Highest TX: 33.8% 13%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.2%±1.5Lowest TX: 6.2% 2.6%±2.5Highest TX: 6.2%
Dawson and Bronte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,614±$12kLowest 39% below TX $51,042±$24kHighest 35% below TX
Dawson and Bronte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $146,900±$26kHighest 48% below TX $140,700±$30kLowest 50% below TX
Bronte and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $935±$46Highest 33% below TX $748±$145Lowest 47% below TX
Bronte and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,845Lowest 56% below TX $2,253Highest 47% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.6%±15.1Highest TX: 51.7% 43.5%±20.6Lowest TX: 51.7%
Bronte and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 23.3%Highest TX: 13.8% 21.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.6%Highest TX: 62.6% 57.8%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 21 yrs older than TX 1967Lowest 25 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minLowest 27% above TX 36 minHighest 34% above TX
Work from home 2.4%±2.6Lowest TX: 14.4% 18.6%±10.8Highest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 12.9%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 miLowest 52.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.80Highest 0.17Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Angelo (26%)Corsicana (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DawsonFew work in Bronte
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 101Highest 41.3Lowest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Bronte neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bronte’s Town Square.

Dawson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dawson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bronte and Dawson

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Towns like Bronte

T
+ Compare
Trinidad806 people · $147K homes
E
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Ector820 people · $153K homes
E
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East Mountain958 people · $197K homes
+ Compare
Stockdale1,377 people · $173K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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