Dodson BranchTN
In Tennessee, this town has 1,425 residents.
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. Dodson Branch’s mean commuting time is 39 minutes, against 25 minutes in Tennessee’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Among 178 Tennessee towns, just one has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Dodson Branch. Residents are less healthy than 91% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. 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.
1,425 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
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 TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Dodson Branch: who provides what
Dodson Branch is unincorporated, so Jackson County and regional agencies provide most services.
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.
For health, Dodson Branch earns a D
31% of Dodson Branch adults get no exercise outside work. CDC measures, 31 in all: Dodson Branch beats Tennessee on 4 and trails on 9. Among adults in the town, 31% have been diagnosed with depression and 18% report frequent physical distress.
| Dodson Branch | Tennessee towns | U.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% |
| What stands out | Dodson Branch | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.4% | 13.3% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.2% | 9.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.8% | 14.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
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.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodson Branch ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 250 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Dodson Branch stands out in Tennessee and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
The top destinations are Cookeville (34%), Gainesboro (9%) and Nashville (9%). For residents in Dodson Branch, the share who live below the poverty line is 26%. Half commute less than 14 miles.
| Dodson Branch | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.4% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
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%.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
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.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In Dodson Branch, 4.8% of the land is conserved
Across 1 park or preserve: 0.1 miles of trail.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wash Morgan Hollow State Natural Area | — | 74 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Homes in Dodson Branch sell for about $154K
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Dodson Branch
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Dodson Branch
About 3 of every 100 Dodson Branch residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
100% of working residents leave Dodson Branch for work
Where Dodson Branch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
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.