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Coldspring vs Dawson

130 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (9.4× in Coldspring) and property tax bill (+78% in Dawson).

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Coldspring, TXA regional job hubTexas · 1,274 people
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Dawson, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,322 people
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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.

ColdspringA regional job hub
Work448 jobsbased in Coldspring, a regional job hub Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 20%of TX districts All about Coldspring →
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 worker9.4×
Coldspring is more of a job hub
Coldspring 1.59Dawson 0.17
Property tax bill+78%
Tax bills are bigger in Dawson
Dawson $2,253Coldspring $1,267
Home values+54%
Homes cost more in Coldspring
Coldspring $216,800Dawson $140,700
Work from home+16.3 pts
More people work from home in Dawson
Dawson 18.6%Coldspring 2.3%
Typical home built23 yrs
Dawson’s homes are older
Coldspring 1990Dawson 1967
Age 65++6.7 pts
Coldspring has more people 65 and up
Coldspring 21.1%Dawson 14.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Coldspring

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.

Coldspring$1,600/mo
Typical home $279K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $777/mo · Housing →
Dawson$1,290/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Coldspring and Dawson.

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
C−ColdspringBetter than 20% of districts in the state C+DawsonBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
DColdspringHealthier than 8% 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
ColdspringDawson
Snow a year0″0″
January low—35°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—250d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd26th
Outdoors & history
ColdspringDawson
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1847
National Register places2—
Archive photos9—
Famous people born here3—
Community
ColdspringDawson
Library hours a week41 hrs—
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

130 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColdspringTXDawsonTX
Coldspring ↔ Dawson130 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.

ColdspringDawson
People
Population 1,274Lowest 1,322Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Lowest TX: +15.9% +1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 42.4±11.5Highest 19% above TX 40.7±9.2Lowest 14% above TX
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.9%±5.9Lowest TX: 25% 29.5%±3.9Highest TX: 25%
Dawson and Coldspring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.1%±2.3Highest TX: 13.4% 14.4%±3.4Lowest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.8%Highest TX: 33.8% 13%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.9%±3.7Highest TX: 6.2% 2.6%±2.5Lowest TX: 6.2%
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,851±$10kLowest 44% below TX $51,042±$24kHighest 35% below TX
Dawson and Coldspring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $216,800±$46kHighest 24% below TX $140,700±$30kLowest 50% below TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $777±$73Highest 45% below TX $748±$145Lowest 47% below TX
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,267Lowest 70% below TX $2,253Highest 47% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.4%±12.2Highest TX: 51.7% 43.5%±20.6Lowest TX: 51.7%
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 27%Highest TX: 13.8% 21.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51%Lowest TX: 62.6% 57.8%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1990Highest 2 yrs older than TX 1967Lowest 25 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 36 minLowest 34% above TX 36 minHighest 34% above TX
Work from home 2.3%±3.7Lowest TX: 14.4% 18.6%±10.8Highest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 4.3%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 43.8 miLowest 52.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.59Highest 0.17Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Houston (14%)Corsicana (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DawsonFew work in Coldspring
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 44.8Highest 41.3Lowest
Schools
School district COLDSPRING-OAKHURST CISD—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Coldspring neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Coldspring’s Town Square.

Dawson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dawson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Coldspring

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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