(DODGE COUNTY) Families in Dodge County are feeling the pressure from rising housing costs to growing concerns about youth mental health.

That’s the takeaway from the 2025 Community Health Assessment for Dodge and Jefferson counties, led by the Dodge-Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership.

The report calls mental health the region’s most urgent need. Rates of youth anxiety and depression remain high, and fewer than 1 in 5 high school students say they get the help they need when they feel sad or hopeless.

But leaders say mental health is tied to everyday life — whether people feel connected, can afford a home, and earn enough to cover basic bills.

Housing stands out as a major stress point.

Rental vacancy rates in Dodge County sit at just 0.6%. The median home sale price reached $303,650 in 2024 — up 72% since 2018. In that same time, incomes rose only 38%.

Nearly a quarter of homeowners and 40% of renters in the two counties spend more than 30% of their income on housing. That leaves less for food, childcare and health care — and adds stress that can hurt mental health.

The region is also short an estimated 3,600 housing units.

Even with a median household income of $77,800, about 31% of households in the region do not earn enough to cover basic living costs.

For a family with two adults and two young children, the minimum “survival budget” is nearly $80,000 a year. Two common jobs — laborers and food service workers — earn about $67,400 combined.

Only 53% of high school students say they feel a sense of belonging at school. Parents and teens also raised concerns about heavy screen time replacing face-to-face connection.

More than 70% of parents surveyed said their own smartphone use sometimes distracts from time with their children.

The Dodge-Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership — a collaboration that includes Dodge County Human Services and Health Department, local hospitals, clinics and the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation — led the assessment.

Leaders identified four priorities for the next three years: belonging and connection, basic needs, housing and financial stability.

Below is the full Community Health Assessment: