Health · Dawson

Dawson, NE health

Dawson differs from Nebraska on 11 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (8.4% vs 6.1%) and more smokers (18% vs 13.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Dawson
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 166 people are less certain, so we show Dawson's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Dawson compares with Nebraska

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Dawson adults…

41 of every 100 Dawson adults have high blood pressure
Nebraska: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 36.3–44.9%

Bars show Dawson; the black tick is Nebraska. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Dawson, betterDawson, worseToo close to callNebraska
Get no exerciseshare of adults 30.4% Dawson
NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 30% Dawson
NE 31.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.9% Dawson
NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18% Dawson
NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Dawson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.

76%
Yearly checkup
NE 76%
64%
Dentist visit
NE 64%
86%
Cholesterol check
NE 84%
60%
Colon screening
NE 62%
70%
Mammogram
NE 75%
80%
Taking BP meds
NE 78%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dawson 8.1% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Dawson adults are doing

1 in 3Dawson adults feel lonely
29% · Nebraska 29.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Dawson adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.5% · Nebraska 18.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Dawson adults lack social or emotional support
20.7% · Nebraska 20.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Dawson adults are in frequent mental distress
14.3% · Nebraska 14.1% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Dawson adults worry about having enough food
12.2% · NE 12.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Dawson adults worry about keeping their housing
9.1% · NE 9.5% · about the same
1 in 15
Dawson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · NE 6.4% · about the same
1 in 15
Dawson adults lack reliable transportation
6.5% · NE 6.7% · about the same

9.4% of Dawson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Disability

Living with a disability

30%

of Dawson adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.7%
Thinking or memory12.8%
Hearing8.4%
Errands alone7.8%
Vision4.8%
Dressing or bathing4.1%

Black tick: Nebraska. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Dawson

No hospital or community health center in Dawson itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCommunity Medical CenterFalls City · 13.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNorthwest Health ServicesMound City · 31.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.9 mi
Community Medical Center
Falls City · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
16.1 mi
Great Plains of Sabetha
Sabetha · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.6 mi
Nemaha County Hospital
Auburn · not rated
ERRural critical access
17 mi
Pawnee County Memorial Hospital
Pawnee City · not rated
ERRural critical access
31.3 mi
Northwest Health Services
6 sites · nearest in Mound City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
53.8 mi
Atchison Community Health Clinic
2 sites · nearest in Atchison
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careDawson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Richardson County · need score 14 of 25
✓ Dental careDawson is not a shortage area
! Mental healthDawson's county is a federal shortage area.Mental Health Catchment Area 5 · need score 12 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Dawson. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Dawson
MeasureDawsonMarginNebraska
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.5%36.3–44.9%32.6%worse
High cholesterol36.5%32.5–40.7%33%about the same
Obesity48%41.4–54.7%37.7%worse
Arthritis30.1%26.6–33.8%24%worse
Depression18.5%15.7–21.7%18.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)16.3%13.2–19.5%12.4%worse
Asthma9.6%8.4–10.9%9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.4%8.3–10.5%8.3%about the same
Diabetes13.9%11.8–16.3%10.7%worse
COPD8.4%6.7–10.3%6.1%worse
Heart disease7.6%6.4–9%6.1%worse
Stroke3.8%3.2–4.5%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18%14.1–22.3%13.2%worse
Binge drink18.9%15.9–22.3%19.7%about the same
Get no exercise30.4%24.7–36.4%24.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours30%24.6–35.8%31.3%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.6%71.8–79.3%75.9%about the same
Dentist visit64%60.4–67.5%64.3%about the same
Cholesterol check85.5%83–87.9%83.7%about the same
Colon screening59.7%54.4–64.8%62.3%about the same
Mammogram69.5%61.2–76.9%75%about the same
Taking BP meds80.3%77.2–83.1%77.5%about the same
No health insurance8.1%6–11%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely29%24.2–34.1%29.3%about the same
Lack emotional support20.7%16.8–24.7%20.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress14.3%12.2–16.7%14.1%about the same
Fair or poor health18.9%15.3–23.3%16.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.1%11.9–16.6%11.6%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity12.2%8.8–16%12.3%about the same
Housing insecurity9.1%6.9–11.3%9.5%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.6%5.2–7.9%6.4%about the same
No reliable transportation6.5%5.1–8%6.7%about the same
Receive SNAP9.4%6.5–12.6%8.5%
Disability
Any disability30%25–35.3%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs14.7%11.9–17.9%12%
Thinking or memory12.8%10.5–15.5%12.1%
Hearing8.4%7.2–9.8%7.3%
Vision4.8%4–5.8%4.4%
Dressing or bathing4.1%3.3–5%3.2%
Errands alone7.8%6.4–9.5%6.9%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Dawson door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Nebraska figure falls inside it, we don't call Dawson better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Dawson directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01