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Tennessee›Jackson County
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Dodson BranchTN

A town of 1,425.

Population
1,425
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$172K
Census ACS
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
32.1
years
Jobs based here
22
A commuter town

Is Dodson Branch a good place to live?

The best of Dodson Branch’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D for walkability. Only 3 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score lower on history. The biggest park or preserve is Wash Morgan Hollow State Natural Area, at 74 acres. Dodson Branch has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestACost of livingWeakestDWalkabilityDHealthC−Jobs & incomeC−Hazard riskC−Schools
Small town

1,425 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Gainesboro · 7 miAlgood · 9 miCookeville · 12 miLivingston · 12 miBaxter · 13 miCelina · 16 mi

How Dodson Branch grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Dodson Branch is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.8 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →HealthCookeville Regional Medical Center 10.1 miles awayDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $172K, 3.1 years of the Cookeville area’s $55K median household incomeAOpen →Jobs & income$74K median household income; 22 jobs based hereC−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsC−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 5% conserved landC+Open →HistoryD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.1; 4% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Dodson Branch: who provides what

Dodson Branch is unincorporated, so Jackson County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerUpper Cumberland E M C13.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBangham Utility DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJackson CountyJackson County provides services here
SchoolsJackson County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereJackson County Election CommissionJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3850138501 99%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 Branch.

HealthD

Health in Dodson Branch trails 91% of U.S. towns

27% of Dodson Branch adults say their health is fair or poor. CDC measures, 31 in all: Dodson Branch beats Tennessee on 4 and trails on 9. Dodson Branch: 22% of adults smoke cigarettes, against 19% in Tennessee’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. Among adults in the town, 31% have been diagnosed with depression and 18% report frequent physical distress.

9%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
Dodson BranchTennessee townsU.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)22%19%14%
Depression (CDC PLACES)31%29%23%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)18%16%14%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)27%24%19%
31 measures vs. Tennessee
4 better18 too close to call9 worse
What stands outDodson BranchTN
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity10.4%13.3%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off7.2%9.1%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth20.8%14.6%
Cookeville Regional Medical Center
10.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageDodson Branch’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby10.1 miles to an ER · Cookeville Regional Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than TN on 4 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsC−

Dodson Branch’s public schools trail 78% of Tennessee districts

Public schools: the Jackson County school district. Its one school is below. Dodson Branch’s only public school teaches 250 students.

22%of TN districts it outscoresC−School Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Dodson Branch ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8Grades PK–8250A−
Full pageDodson Branch’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsJackson CountyEvery school1 school · Dodson Branch ElementaryQuestions“Are Dodson Branch’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−

The average trip to work in Dodson Branch is longer than in the typical Tennessee or U.S. town

For working residents in Dodson Branch, the share who work locally is 0.4%. Dodson Branch: just over a quarter of residents live below the poverty line, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The top destinations are Cookeville (34%), Gainesboro (9%) and Nashville (9%).

0%work in town
Dodson BranchTennessee townsU.S. towns
Average trip to work39 minutes25 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line26%14%9.6%
Working residents who work in town0.4%12%8%
Median household income$74,000$61,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Dodson Branch0%
Cookeville34%
Gainesboro9%
Nashville9%
Chattanooga3%
14 mi
median commute distance
22
jobs based in Dodson Branch
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Full pageDodson Branch’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here22 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in Dodson BranchCommute times39 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−

Dodson Branch has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities. 48% of Dodson Branch’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 20%.

71risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
71High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
Full pageDodson Branch’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesHigh riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters32 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready0.8 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Dodson Branch

The range runs from 28° on a January night to 88° on a July afternoon, with about 6 inches of snow a winter.

6″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter30–50°
Spring45–70°
Summer64–87°
Fall47–71°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageDodson Branch’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 88°, January lows 28°Rain & snow6″ of snow a winter · 56 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+0.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsC+

In Dodson Branch, 4.8% of the land is conserved

Across 1 park or preserve: 0.1 miles of trail.

4.8%conserved
4.8%
conserved · 343 of 7,076 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Wash Morgan Hollow State Natural Area—74
Full pageDodson Branch’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map0.1 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk74 acres · Wash Morgan Hollow State Natural AreaConserved land4.8% conserved · 343 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Dodson Branch?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HousingCost of living grade A

Homes in Dodson Branch sell for about $258K

In Dodson Branch, 91% of households own their home.

$258Kmedian sale price
2
homes sold in May
Full pageDodson Branch’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 3.5 years of incomeRentsRents

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Dodson Branch

16pages on Dodson Branch
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 78% of TN districts · 1 schoolHealthDBetter than TN on 4 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingAWork & commuteC−$74K median household income · 22 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 71% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsC+0 mi of trails · 5% conserved landPlacesAttractions9 nearby · Burgess Falls 19 miLibraryCharles Ralph Holland Memorial LibraryCollegesTennessee Technological University is 9.8 mi away
The story
Climate88° summer highs · 6″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Dodson Branch

Tennessee Technological UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Cookeville9.8 mi$11,376 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 Dodson Branch residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Dodson Branch for work

Where Dodson Branch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

34% → Cookeville Cookeville 34% 9% → Gainesboro Gainesboro 9% 9% → Nashville Nashville 9% 3% → Chattanooga Chattanooga 3% 3% → Murfreesboro Murfreesboro 3% 2% → Franklin Franklin 2% Dodson Branch · 0% stay
22jobs based in Dodson Branch
0%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Dodson Branch

Census-designated place in Tennessee, United States

Dodson Branch is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Jackson County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 1,044 as of the 2020 census.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
11 sq mi
Elevation
981 ft

Questions about Dodson Branch

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Dodson Branch, TN expensive?

Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $172,000, 48% below the Tennessee typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.