Population 227 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Dawson: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Dawson
Household size in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.02 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.93 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dawson are small: just 1.93 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.4 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 55.2 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.0 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.0 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.6 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Dawson skews older: half of its residents are older than 58.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 50.4 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Dawson, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dawson
Renters in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 0.5% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −19.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Dawson is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 3.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About two-thirds of owners (64.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.8% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Dawson: 20.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Dawson is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $468 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $565 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $546 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $750 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$282 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dawson pays $750 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 35.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dawson
Bachelor's degrees in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.7% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Dawson have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 8.0%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.2% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.1% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +25.9 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Dawson is close to the national rate: 89.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dawson
| Period | Dawson | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 0.3% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The survey found almost no one in Dawson out of work and looking, against 5.4% of the labor force nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dawson compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson | 1.93 | 58.0 | 7.9% | 3.3% | 20.8% | 1984 | $750 | 8.0% | 89.1% | 0.0% |
| Grassy Meadows | 1.82 | 59.9 | 6.6% | 0.0% | 24.1% | 1985 | $748 | 8.5% | 94.1% | 0.0% |
| Vale | 2.54 | 47.6 | 14.2% | 30.7% | 3.4% | 1981 | $763 | 5.6% | 63.0% | 0.0% |
| Blue Sulphur Springs | 1.90 | 59.9 | 7.2% | 4.6% | 22.9% | 1985 | $748 | 13.0% | 94.4% | 0.0% |
| Lawn | 2.22 | 55.3 | 3.1% | 13.4% | 19.8% | 1981 | $790 | 12.7% | 76.3% | 3.1% |
| Smoot | 2.56 | 45.8 | 6.9% | 24.4% | 17.6% | 1979 | $866 | 8.1% | 81.6% | 5.3% |
| Spring Dale | 2.39 | 39.7 | 3.4% | 12.9% | 26.4% | 1974 | $777 | 11.6% | 82.8% | 8.1% |
| Judson | 1.84 | 60.3 | 6.4% | 4.3% | 23.7% | 1984 | $793 | 11.3% | 94.2% | 1.0% |
| Clintonville | 2.35 | 51.6 | 5.2% | 15.7% | 23.3% | 1982 | $845 | 16.3% | 94.0% | 4.5% |
| Crag | 2.53 | 47.0 | 12.6% | 29.2% | 5.9% | 1980 | $768 | 6.4% | 66.5% | 0.0% |
| Claypool | 2.44 | 50.3 | 1.5% | 16.5% | 16.0% | 1980 | $723 | 11.9% | 80.3% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Harford, PA · Henrietta, TN · Heidelberg Beach, OH · Heath, MA · Walshville, IL · Hazelgreen, MO · Hazel Run, MO · Havensville, KS · Harris, AR · Harmon, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dawson. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.