Dunkirk, New York

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Dunkirk had a population of 12,743. The median age was 39.9 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males age 18 and over.

There were 5,431 households in Dunkirk, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 31.4% were married-couple households, 23.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

| White || 8,120 || 63.7%

| Black or African American || 818 || 6.4%

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 139 || 1.1%

| Asian || 63 || 0.5%

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 3 || 0.0%

| Some other race || 1,735 || 13.6%

| Two or more races || 1,865 || 14.6%

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 4,515 || 35.4%

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 12,563 people, 5,477 households, and 3,690 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,774.6 people per square mile (1,119.2 per km<sup>2</sup>). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,340.6 per square mile (517.4 per km<sup>2</sup>). The city's racial makeup of the city was 65.70% White, 5.1% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.50 Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.14% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.40% of the population.

There were 5,477 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,313, and the median income for a family was $35,058. Males had a median income of $29,462 versus $21,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,482. About 18.5% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Dunkirk High School, home of the Marauders, is part of the public Dunkirk City School District.
Northern Chautauqua Catholic School is a K-8th grade school under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

Media

The Observer newspaper is published in Dunkirk.
WDOE AM radio station in Dunkirk, co-owned with Fredonia FM sister station, WBKX.

Infrastructure

Transportation

thumb|Union Depot, Dunkirk, between c. 1890 and c. 1900

The Chautauqua County/Dunkirk Airport, in the town of Dunkirk, provides training facilities and charter services.

Freight railroad service in Dunkirk is provided by CSX Transportation (via the Buffalo-Cleveland-Willard (Ohio)-Chicago Main Line) and Norfolk Southern Railway (Buffalo-Cleveland-Fort Wayne-Chicago Main Line). The Lake Shore Limited daily Amtrak passenger train passes through the city but does not stop. Erie Railroad and New York Central trains stopped at one station. Nickel Plate and Pennsylvania Railroad trains stopped at another station. As recently as 1968 the New York Central operated a Buffalo-Chicago daytime train, #51, the former Empire State Express, that made a stop westbound in Dunkirk. Two other daily trains eastbound stopped in Dunkirk, #64 and #90, the former Chicagoan. In the late 1990s Amtrak considered adding the city as a stop between Buffalo and Erie. Dunkirk was listed as a stop with service "to commence on a date to be announced" on several timetables, but the stop was never added.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the southern edge of the city, with access from Exit 59 (NY Route 60) just east of the city limits. The Thruway leads northeast to the outskirts of Buffalo and southwest to the Pennsylvania border. New York State Route 5 runs through the center of the city, leading northeast to Silver Creek and southwest to Westfield. New York State Route 60 runs from Dunkirk south, heading toward Jamestown, New York.

Public safety

The city of Dunkirk has its own police force and a paid fire department with three stations in the city.

Notable people

Samuel Hopkins Adams, author
Edna A. Boorady, lawyer and diplomat
Mark Brazill, creator of That '70s Show
Horatio G. Brooks founder of Brooks Locomotive Works
June Card, operatic soprano and stage director
William L. Carpenter, U.S. Army officer, geologist
Richard H. Cosgriff, Union Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor
Dave Criscione, retired Major League Baseball catcher
Celestine Damiano, former Bishop of Camden
Katharine Bement Davis, social reformer
Mike DiMuro, MLB umpire
Ray DiMuro, retired MLB umpire
Francis S. Edwards, former US congressman
Mike Friedman, pro-racing cyclist
Daniel G. Garnsey, former US congressman
Dave Graf, retired NFL linebacker
Grasshopper, guitarist and songwriter for seminal alternative rock band Mercury Rev
Ross Graves, former New York politician
Chad Green, former minor league baseball player
H. B. Halicki, director of Gone in 60 Seconds and The Junkman; born in Dunkirk
Norm Hitzges, host on Sportsradio 1310 AM and 96.7 FM the Ticket in the Dallas-Fort-Worth area and Texas Radio Hall of Famer
Thomas Horan, a Medal of Honor Recipient at the battle of Gettysburg (1863) during the Civil War, was born in Dunkirk in 1839 and died 1902. His grave is at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Dunkirk.
Jerry Interval, portrait photographer
Teresa Jordan, geologist at Cornell University
Richard P. Klocko, Air Force lieutenant general, command pilot, director of Defense Communications Agency
John T. McDonough, former Secretary of State of New York
Sean Patrick McGraw, country music artist
Jim McGuire, former MLB player
Mark Merchant, retired minor league baseball player
Cindy Miller, pro golfer
Van Miller, play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills and WIVB-TV sportscaster
Chris Poland, former guitarist of thrash metal band Megadeth
Gar Samuelson, former drummer of thrash metal band Megadeth
William J. Scheyer, Major general in the Marine Corps during World War II
Murray Shelton, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times best selling author
Grace Hyde Trine, writer, lecturer, dramatic reader
Elisha Ward, former New York state senator
Cory Wells, One of three lead singers of the band Three Dog Night