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City · 12,549 residents · Chautauqua County, New York

Dunkirk , New York

In Dunkirk, a typical home is worth $94,700 and typical rent is $866 a month. Compared with all of Chautauqua County, the typical home value is 26% lower, typical household income is 9% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 10 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $94,700

    26% below the county

    78% below New York

    • Dunkirk
    • Chautauqua
    • New York

  • Typical rent

    $866a month

    7% above the county

    47% below New York

    • Dunkirk
    • Chautauqua
    • New York

  • Typical household income

    $53,299a year

    9% below the county

    38% below New York

    • Dunkirk
    • Chautauqua
    • New York

  • Households that own their home

    59%

    10 points below the county

    4 points above New York

    • Dunkirk
    • Chautauqua
    • New York

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$133,809
2.3% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Dunkirk is in Chautauqua County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Chautauqua County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Dunkirk apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Dunkirk has the 9th lowest typical home value of the 348 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people ($94,700).

  2. Dunkirk has the 16th lowest typical rent of the 333 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people ($866).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Dunkirk rose 2.3%; in New York, it rose 5.6%.

  4. 59% of households in Dunkirk own their home, against 69% in Chautauqua County.

  5. Dunkirk has the 35th lowest typical household income of the 350 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people ($53,299).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Dunkirk

What homes there are in Dunkirk, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Dunkirk, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Chautauqua County, 7.

Year built

The typical home in Dunkirk was built in 1941, 12 years before the typical one in Chautauqua County.

In Dunkirk, 61% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, about the same as in Chautauqua County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Chautauqua County is $1,014; about 79% of rents in Dunkirk are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,080 a month

Chautauqua County: $1,193 a month

Without a mortgage

$460 a month

Chautauqua County: $531 a month

Owners with a mortgage

49%

Chautauqua County: 49%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Dunkirk is $1,080 a month, less than in Chautauqua County ($1,193); without one, $460.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Dunkirk gained value more slowly than in Chautauqua County: 41% since 2015–2019, against 45%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Dunkirk rose 31%, more than in Chautauqua County (23%).

The typical household income in Dunkirk rose 52%: more than home values (+41%) and rent (+31%).

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureDunkirkChautauqua CountyNew YorkUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate6.7%3.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.3%5.3%3.4%
People per household 2.242.262.492.53
Drive alone 80%75%49%69%
Carpool 11%11%6%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate22%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate5%6%3%
Work from home 5%8%15%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Dunkirk look like those in Chautauqua County: 2.24 people on average.

To get to work, 80% of workers in Dunkirk drive alone; in Chautauqua County, 75%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Dunkirk?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Dunkirk, worth $94,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 20% of the typical household income in Dunkirk, which is $53,299 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Chautauqua County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Dunkirk. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $3,315 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$907

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$92,984
Total interest
$133,783
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,599 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,244 a month

    Your payment · 20%

  • Tight

    $1,244 to $1,599 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,599 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Dunkirk ($53,299 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$907
Principal & interest$630
Property tax$196
Home insurance$40
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$42

You need at least $3,315 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Dunkirk and Chautauqua County

Dunkirk is in Chautauqua County, New York. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Dunkirk's own numbers

Typical home value
$94,700
Typical monthly rent
$866
Typical yearly household income
$53,299
Households that own their home
59%
Effective property tax rate
2.48%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Chautauqua County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,014
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Chautauqua County.

Everything about Chautauqua County

Buying

Buying a home in Dunkirk

A typical home in Dunkirk is worth $94,700: 26% below the county and 78% below New York. With the typical household income in Dunkirk ($53,299 a year), a typical home costs 1.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Dunkirk 1.8 years
  • Chautauqua 2.2 years
  • New York 4.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Chautauqua County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Chautauqua County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Chautauqua County.

Period County New York U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.9% +6.0% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +86% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Dunkirk next to Chautauqua County, New York and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Dunkirk $94,700
  • Chautauqua $127,900
  • New York $423,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Dunkirk $866
  • Chautauqua $812
  • New York $1,621
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Dunkirk $53,299
  • Chautauqua $58,351
  • New York $85,974
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Dunkirk next to Chautauqua County and New York
Measure Dunkirk Chautauqua County New York U.S.
Typical home value $94,700 $127,900 $423,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $866 $812 $1,621 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $53,299 $58,351 $85,974 $80,734
Households that own their home 59% 69% 54% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,352 $2,901 $6,582 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.48% 2.27% 1.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 47% 50% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Chautauqua County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Dunkirk

For a typical $94,700 home in Dunkirk, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Dunkirk's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $907a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,315
    Cash to close
    $6,156
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $42

  • Conventional, 5% down $890a month

    Down payment
    $4,735
    Cash to close
    $7,576
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $45

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $748a month

    Down payment
    $18,940
    Cash to close
    $21,781
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $836a month

    Down payment
    $14,205
    Cash to close
    $17,046
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Dunkirk and for Chautauqua County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Dunkirk

2.48%of the home’s value each year

$2,352 a year for the typical owner in Dunkirk.

  • Dunkirk 2.48%
  • Chautauqua 2.27%
  • New York 1.55%

What New York publishes Basic STAR school tax relief (New York State Department of Taxation and Finance)

Exemptions and deadlines in New York

Flood risk in Chautauqua County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Chautauqua County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in Chautauqua County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Dunkirk

Typical rent in Dunkirk is $866 a month: 7% above the county. In Dunkirk, 47% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Chautauqua County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,014 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Chautauqua County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $706 $13.58 $28,240
1 bedroom $786 $15.12 $31,440
2 bedrooms $1,014 $19.50 $40,560
3 bedrooms $1,338 $25.73 $53,520
4 bedrooms $1,393 $26.79 $55,720

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Dunkirk

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Dunkirk is in ZIP code 14048.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,090: $76 more than the fair market rent for Chautauqua County ($1,014).

  • 14048 $1,090$1,440

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Dunkirk when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Dunkirk

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Dunkirk. These are the largest.

  • Bell Tower 10 Ruggles St, Dunkirk 14048 134 low-income homes · Run by Dunkirk Housing Authority · Average payment: $461 a month · Average wait: 11 months · Homes at several sites (716) 366-8740
  • Joseph Steger Apts. 15 N Main St, Dunkirk 14048 100 homes, 99 low-income · Run by Dunkirk Housing Authority · Average payment: $351 a month · Average wait: 9 months (716) 366-8740
  • Lincoln Arms Apartments 430 Main St, Dunkirk 14048 50 low-income homes · For older adults (716) 366-1613
  • Central Apts 717 Central Ave, Dunkirk 14048 37 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 14 · 3 bd: 1 · In service since 2006 · For people with disabilities
  • Arrowhead Apts 10825 Arrowhead Dr, Dunkirk 14048 10 homes, 9 low-income · 2 bd: 9 · In service since 1995 · For families

See all 36 buildings in Chautauqua County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Dunkirk

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 3 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Chautauqua County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Dunkirk

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Dunkirk or Chautauqua County. The ones below are statewide in New York: they work in Dunkirk the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in New York

Housing counselors near Dunkirk

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Dunkirk, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated

    17 W Courtney St, Dunkirk · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 3 more
    (716) 661-9430

  • Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corp. (CHRIC)

    2 Academy St, Mayville · 18 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (716) 753-4650

  • Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated

    402 Chandler Street, Jamestown · 27 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 3 more
    (716) 661-9430

Every agency in Chautauqua County All counseling agencies in New York

Help in Spanish near Dunkirk

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Dunkirk

HUD’s record names them for Dunkirk or Chautauqua County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

2 other authorities have an office in Chautauqua County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Chautauqua County

These cities are also in Chautauqua County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Chautauqua County Housing in New York

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Dunkirk, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Chautauqua County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Dunkirk.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Dunkirk

Short answers with the numbers for Dunkirk and all of Chautauqua County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Dunkirk?

The typical home value in Dunkirk is $94,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Chautauqua County it is $127,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Dunkirk?

Typical rent in Dunkirk is $866 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Chautauqua County is $1,014.

What is the FHA loan limit in Dunkirk?

Dunkirk uses the FHA limit for all of Chautauqua County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Dunkirk?

The typical homeowner in Dunkirk pays $2,352 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.48% of the home’s value; in Chautauqua County, the rate is 2.27%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Dunkirk?

There are 3 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Chautauqua County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).