Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Dawson vs Bronte

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

×
Dawson, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,322 people
×
Bronte, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,041 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.

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 →
BronteOne of the healthiest towns
Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 63%of TX districts All about Bronte →
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.

Dawson$1,290/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →
Bronte$920/mo
Typical home $147K (Census) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $935/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
C+DawsonBetter than 35% of districts in the state BBronteBetter than 63% of districts in the state
Health
DDawsonHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns CBronteHealthier than 27% 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
DawsonBronte
Snow a year0″1″
January low35°F—
July high95°F—
Growing season (days)250d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th57th
Outdoors & history
DawsonBronte
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1847—
Community
DawsonBronte
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.

DawsonTXBronteTX
Dawson ↔ Bronte210 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.

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

Dawson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dawson’s Town Square.

Bronte neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bronte’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Dawson and Bronte

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Dawson

+ Compare
Stockdale1,377 people · $173K homes
+ Compare
Honey Grove1,824 people · $152K homes
O
+ Compare
Orange Grove1,089 people · $123K homes
Q
+ Compare
Queen City1,390 people · $116K 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.

Post to Dawson

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in