The Town FilesDunkirk, Indiana
City in Jay County · population 2,164 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $81,100
- Household income
- $46,339
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 43.5
Dunkirk is a city of 2,164 people in Jay County, Indiana. The median home is worth $81,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 79% of Indiana towns, hipper than 77% of Indiana towns.
How Dunkirk ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dunkirk is worth $81,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $46,339, which is more affordable than 87% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $700 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dunkirk | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $81,100 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $700 | $888 |
| Median household income | $46,339 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dunkirk
| People | Dunkirk | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.9% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Dunkirk
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.2 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunkirk since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 9.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 9, 2001.
Severe weather in Jay County since 1996
Jay County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Jay County
Jay County had 7,027 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,103 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Dunkirk itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Dunkirk
1 public school with 243 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Jay Elementary | K-6 | 243 | 11.6 |
Towns near Dunkirk
- Redkey, IN3.4 mi · 1,100 people · home $85,400
- Albany, IN4.9 mi · 2,295 people · home $105,200
- Eaton, IN8.5 mi · 1,595 people · home $89,800
- Pennville, IN8.7 mi · 621 people · home $84,100
- Hartford City, IN10.3 mi · 6,086 people · home $83,400
- Ridgeville, IN11.1 mi · 688 people · home $47,600
- Portland, IN12.6 mi · 6,320 people · home $96,700
- Parker City, IN12.8 mi · 1,278 people · home $94,200
Dunkirk questions
Is Dunkirk, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunkirk scores better for retirees than 14% of Indiana towns and quieter than 36%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Dunkirk?
The median owner-occupied home in Dunkirk is valued at $81,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,339, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $700 a month.
What is the weather like in Dunkirk?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 32.2 inches of snow.
Does Dunkirk get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunkirk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)