The Town Files

Dunkirk, Maryland

Community in Calvert County · population 2,431 (2020 Census)

Map: where Dunkirk is in MarylandDunkirk
Median home
$561,300
Household income
$149,271
Jan low / Jul high
25° / 88°
Snow a year
15 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
10
Median age
42.1

Dunkirk is a community of 2,431 people in Calvert County, Maryland. The median home is worth $561,300, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks better for families than 98% of Maryland towns, easier by car than 83% of Maryland towns, more upscale than 79% of Maryland towns.

Dunkirk in our rankings:

How Dunkirk ranks

Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.

Dunkirk lifestyle rankings vs other Maryland townsRetirement71st pctFamilies98th pctQuiet63rd pctWalkability3rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals31st pctVibrancy30th pctHip & trendybottomCollege town59th pctUpscale79th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit76th pctDriving83rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Dunkirk is worth $561,300, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $149,271, which is more affordable than 52% of Maryland towns. 94.7% of households own their home.

Dunkirk vs Calvert County vs typical Maryland townDunkirkCalvert CountyTypical Maryland townHome value$561,300$460,200$412,300Household income$149,271$133,922$108,677
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Maryland towns with 500+ people.
HousingDunkirkTypical Maryland town
Median home value$561,300$412,300
Median rent—$1,748
Median household income$149,271$108,677
Home value ÷ income3.8×3.8×
Homeownership94.7%77.3%
Median year built19811980
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Dunkirk

PeopleDunkirkTypical Maryland town
Median age42.140.2
Age 65 and over13.5%16.4%
Under 1819.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher46.7%39.4%
Below the poverty line1.8%7.1%
Veterans9.3%—
Born outside the U.S.8.7%—
Work from home14.4%17.4%
Average commute31.0 min31.4 min
Homes with broadband97.2%94.3%

Weather in Dunkirk

July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 24.7°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.6 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.

Dunkirk monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing44°25°Jan47°26°Feb55°33°Mar67°44°Apr75°54°May84°63°Jun88°67°Jul86°65°Aug80°58°Sep69°46°Oct58°36°Nov48°29°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.05.32.75.63.91.73.44.14.24.24.14.54.13.33.52.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Upper Marlboro 3 Nnw station (10.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunkirk since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 27, 1978 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 4, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Dunkirk by decade01950s11960s11970s01980s31990s42000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on May 16, 2022.

Severe weather in Calvert County since 1996

Storm events in Calvert County since 1996 by typeHail46Heat60Flood28Dense Fog45High Wind17Heavy Rain15Flash Flood23Frost/Freeze21
NOAA Storm Events Database, Calvert County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Calvert County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3634: Severe Winter Storm
February 4, 2021HurricaneDR-4583: Tropical Storm Isaias
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3430: Covid-19
March 4, 2016SnowstormDR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Calvert County

Calvert County had 22,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,154 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Dunkirk itself the ACS puts it at 2%.

Largest industries in Calvert CountyRetail3,340 jobs · $36,795Health care & social assistan…3,312 jobs · $61,795Hotels & restaurants2,955 jobs · $25,225Construction1,888 jobs · $78,482Utilities1,147 jobs · $164,336Other services1,013 jobs · $42,110
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Calvert County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Calvert 1.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Dunkirk

Dunkirk questions

Is Dunkirk, Maryland a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunkirk scores better for retirees than 71% of Maryland towns and quieter than 63%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).

How much does a house cost in Dunkirk?

The median owner-occupied home in Dunkirk is valued at $561,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $149,271, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Dunkirk?

July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 24.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 14.6 inches of snow.

Does Dunkirk get tornadoes?

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunkirk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 27, 1978. The typical Maryland town has had 18.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Dunkirk's Census boundary (GEOID 2424050). Comparisons use the median of Maryland towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.