Dawson, North Dakota 6-10-2008 (cropped), 2008
Dawson’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 298 in 1920, 74 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
- 1880Dawson is settled
DawsonND
76 people live in this town, settled in 1880.
Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
76
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Median home value
$163K
Census ACS
Median age
56.7
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Dawson a good place to live?
Dawson’s age of the median resident is 56.7 years, above both the North Dakota town median (33.9 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 2 of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Dawson. Dawson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
76 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 Dawson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dawson, and how to reach them.
PowerMontana-Dakota Utilities11.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dawson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteNot requiredNorth Dakota has no voter registration: you show ID at the polls.vote.govWho runs elections hereKidder County AuditorKidder County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code5842858428 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dawson.
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Dawson’s year
The peak summer temperature for Dawson comes to 82°F.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter4–23°
Spring29–52°
Summer55–80°
Fall32–55°
Sep 25
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Dawson faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in nearly two thirds of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Dawson, 41% come from cold waves and 20% from inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Dawson after 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2020.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
Dawson stands out in North Dakota and nationally: a smaller share of its adults feel lonely
The share of adults in Dawson who have been diagnosed with depression: 19%. No town among the 24 in North Dakota we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Dawson. CDC measures, 32 in all: Dawson beats North Dakota on 2 and trails on 8.
| Dawson | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 29% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 16% |
32 measures vs. North Dakota
2 better22 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Dawson | ND |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.4% | 76.3% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 85.4% | 82.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 6.1% |
South Central Health
43.4 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 Dawson
15pages on Dawson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dawson; the nearest are
United Tribes Technical CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bismarck47.9 mi$4,632 tuitionSitting Bull CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Fort Yates69.6 mi$4,010 in-state tuitionCankdeska Cikana Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Totten84.6 mi$3,950 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Dawson residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
About Dawson
City in North Dakota, United States
Dawson is a city in Kidder County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 74 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 76 in 2025. Dawson has a veteran's memorial wall to honor soldiers in foreign wars.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1880
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,752 ft
- ZIP code
- 58428
- Area code
- 701
Questions about Dawson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dawson, ND a good place to live?
Dawson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.