Phillips County Montana Fairgrounds, 2013
Dodson’s story
135 years in pictures
Census counts: 365 in 1920, 125 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
- 1891Dodson is settled
DodsonMT
Home to 123 people, the town was settled in 1891.
Population
123
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Median home value
$45K
Census ACS
Household income
$41K
median
Median age
77.3
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Dodson a good place to live?
1.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Dodson, against 30% in Montana’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Among 43 Montana towns, just 2 have a lower typical household income than Dodson. Dodson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
123 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dodson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dodson, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Dodson water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dodson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePhillips County Election AdministratorPhillips County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5952459524 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dodson.
Schools
The schools Dodson’s kids attend
Below: Two of its 3 schools, each with why it was picked. The Dodson K-12 school district runs its public schools. The 3 public schools in Dodson teach 78 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodson SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 38 | D− |
| Dodson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 24 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
In Dodson, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
For Dodson, the typical July afternoon high is 87°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–30°
Spring31–58°
Summer53–83°
Fall31–59°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Dodson has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from cold waves
Expected losses in Dodson break down as 48% from cold waves and 44% from inland flooding. On expected storm and flood damage, Dodson sits below 63% of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2011, has brought federal aid to Dodson households.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
4
paid flood claims since 1978
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
A larger share of adults have obesity in Dodson than in most of Montana or the rest of the country
In Dodson, 20% of adults report frequent mental distress. Only 2 of the 42 Montana towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Dodson. Against the Montana average, Dodson comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 15.
| Dodson | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 32% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Montana
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Dodson | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 20.4% | 11.7% |
Phillips County Hospital - Cah
18 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dodson
16pages on Dodson
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dodson; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Dodson residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Dodson
Town in Montana, United States
Dodson is a town in Phillips County, Montana, United States. The population was 125 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,287 ft
- ZIP code
- 59524
- Area code
- 406
Questions about Dodson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dodson, MT a good place to live?
Dodson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.