Census place 3621105

Dunkirk

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Dunkirk city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Dunkirk.

According to the 2025 estimate, Dunkirk has a population of 12,326 and 2,712 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 90 covered New York places are: median home value is $94,700, below the comparison median of $369,150; population density is 2,712/sq mi, below the comparison median of 4,779/sq mi; and median gross rent is $866, below the comparison median of $1,482. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median home value
$94,700
Below the comparison median of $369,150
population density
2,712/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 4,779/sq mi
median gross rent
$866
Below the comparison median of $1,482

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Dunkirk's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
12,326
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.6%
Population estimate
Density
2,712/sq mi
4.5 sq mi land area
Median age
43.7 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$53,299
Median home value
$94,700
Median gross rent
$866
Bachelor’s degree or higher
16.4%
Typical commute
19 min
Drive-alone commute
79.5%
Public transit commute
0%
Walked to work
3.3%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
41.5%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
46.5%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
51.6%
Unemployed residents 16+
2.5%
Working from home
4.5%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
92.1%
Homes built 2020+
0%
Households without a vehicle
13.2%
Households with children
28.7%
Residents with a disability
19.1%
Residents without insurance
2%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Chautauqua County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
13
Severe Storm declarations
6
Snowstorm declarations
3
Hurricane declarations
2

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: DUNKIRK CHAUTAUQUA CO AP (3 mi from place center)
Average high
57.5°F
Average low
40°F
Annual rainfall
33"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Dunkirk.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Meadville, PA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
12,230
Median home
$116,400

Fulton, NY

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
11,188
Median home
$101,000

Olean, NY

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
13,508
Median home
$86,100

Keep exploring

Compare Dunkirk with Meadville